THE ACID TEST

With popular brands selling different acids to include as part of your skincare routine, it is only natural to get confused, or worse, get an allergic reaction. Here's a guide to skincare chemistry

- AASHNA REDDY

TRIED recreating Cassie Howard's iconic 4 am skincare routine from the series Euphoria for a week, and honestly? I was thriving. My skin had never felt so pampered — I was layering serums like my life depended on it, massaging in moisturizer like I was in a Vogue Beauty Secrets video, and staring at myself in the mirror with the exact level of manic energy Cassie had before absolutely ruining her life.

But by Day 4, things took a turn. My skin started peeling in places I didn't even know could peel. I woke up looking like I had lost a fight with my exfoliator. Turns out, mixing every skincare acid under the sun without knowing what they do is not self-care — it's just a recipe for irritation, redness, and questioning your life choices.

The good news? Acids can work wonders — when used correctly. Before you start layering products like you're conducting a science experiment, let's break it all down.

The confessions: When skincare goes wrong Shravya Kannan, a blooming architect, says, "I have oily skin, and I kept seeing people say glycolic acid is a miracle exfoliator. I found a 10 per cent glycolic acid toner and used it every day. A week later, my skin was red, peeling, and my mum thought I had an allergic reaction. Turns out, I was supposed to start slow."

Adi M, a student, admits, "My skin wasn't terrible, but I was breaking out, so I thought I'd go all in. I used salicylic acid in the morning and retinol at night... except my skin went into full revolt. Red patches, irritation, and now I have post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that I'm trying to fix."