The difference between kojic acid and glycolic acid
Kojic acid and glycolic acid are both high-profile ingredients in the field of skin care, but their properties, efficacy and applicable skin types are different.

Kojic acid is a natural ingredient produced by fermentation of specific fungi. Its core effect is to inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, which plays a key role in the production of melanin. By inhibiting this enzyme, kojic acid can effectively reduce the synthesis of melanin, and then achieve the effect of whitening light spots. It is often used in whitening products for pigmented and dull skin. However, kojic acid has poor stability and is easy to decompose under light and heat environments, which affects its efficacy. And some people may have skin irritation reaction after use, and those with sensitive skin need to use it with caution.

glycolic acid belongs to the α-hydroxy acid (AHA) family, which is a small molecule acid extracted from sugar cane and other plants. Its unique feature is that it can reduce the adhesion between cuticle cells, promote the exfoliation of old waste keratin, and accelerate the metabolism of the skin. This effect not only makes the skin surface smoother and more delicate, but also helps to improve skin texture and shrink pores. At the same time, glycolic acid can stimulate collagen production, enhance skin elasticity, and delay skin aging. However, because it has a certain acidity, high-concentration products may produce strong irritation to the skin, and the initial use needs to start with low concentration to gradually build skin tolerance.

Overall, if you want to focus on solving whitening problems such as pigmentation and dullness, and the skin tolerance is acceptable, kojic acid may be a good choice; if you want to improve skin roughness, aging, improve skin metabolism, and carefully build tolerance, glycolic acid is more suitable. When using products containing these two types of ingredients, sunscreen measures should be taken to prevent the skin from becoming more sensitive to ultraviolet rays due to accelerated metabolism.