Ingredient Spotlight: Fruit Acids (AHA)

Ingredient Spotlight · Cosmetic Active

Fruit Acids (AHA)

The skin renovators. Exfoliating, smoothing and brightening, fruit acids (AHAs) speed up skin renewal and bring freshness back to the complexion.

The portrait of a family of actives drawn from lemon, sugar cane and maple.

ExfoliatingRenewingSmoothingRadianceAnti-Wrinkle
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Common name
Fruit acids, AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids).
INCI name
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract (natural complex); Glycolic Acid; Lactic Acid.
Family, type
Water-soluble organic acids; gentle chemical exfoliants.
Found in nature
Citric acid in lemon and orange, glycolic acid in sugar cane, malic acid in apple and maple, tartaric acid in grapes, lactic acid in fermented milk and bilberry.
How they're obtained
Extraction and concentration from fruits, or fermentation and purification for isolated acids (glycolic, lactic).
Typical concentration
2% to 10% in cosmetics; for consumer products, US and European safety assessments recommend no more than 10% at a pH of 3.5 or higher3.
Organoleptic properties
Appearance: colorless liquids or crystals; Scent: neutral to fruity; Taste: tart.
Physical characteristics
Water-soluble; effectiveness depends on concentration and pH; the smaller the molecule (glycolic), the deeper it penetrates; the larger (lactic, malic), the gentler it is1,2.
Benefits
Exfoliating, renewing, smoothing, brightening, hydrating, anti-wrinkle.
Cosmetic indications
Dull, thickened skin marked by fine lines or dark spots; uneven texture. Sensitive skin: in short courses, with sun protection.

Did you know?A little history

Cleopatra bathed in donkey's milk, and ladies of the French court rinsed their faces with aged wine: without knowing it, they were already using fruit acids.

It wasn't until 1974 that two American dermatologists, Eugene Van Scott and Ruey Yu, demonstrated the effect of AHAs on epidermal renewal, first for very dry skin, then against aging2.

Yon-Ka was among the first French brands to build a complete line around them, Alpha, with one principle: acids from fruits, paired with soothing plant actives.

General useHow exfoliation works

The epidermis renews itself in about four weeks: cells are born deep down, rise, die and pile up on the surface before shedding. With age, stress or lack of sleep, this cycle slows; dead cells accumulate, the complexion dulls, the skin thickens.

AHAs dissolve the "glue" that holds these dead cells together and restart the cycle. At low doses they're also hydrating: this dual action is what makes them so valuable1.

AHA or BHA? Alpha hydroxy acids are water-soluble and work on the surface; salicylic acid (BHA) is oil-soluble and penetrates pores. The former target radiance and wrinkles, the latter blemishes.

Cosmetic useTheir properties on skin

  • ExfoliatingThey gently loosen dead cells, with no grains or rubbing1.
  • RenewingBy restarting the cell cycle, they give skin a thinner, more even surface layer.
  • BrighteningThe complexion gains luminosity from the first applications; dark spots fade over time2.
  • SmoothingSkin texture refines and surface fine lines soften.
  • HydratingAt low concentrations, lactic acid increases the water content of the surface layer1.
  • DensifyingOver time, AHAs stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis in the dermis2.

FormulationThe fruit acids used at Yon-Ka

We favor a complex of acids naturally present in five fruits and plants, gentler and more gradual than an isolated acid; pure glycolic acid is reserved for our two most intensive treatments.

Fruit acid complex

Lemon, orange, sugar cane, maple, bilberry

The heart of the Alpha line: five extracts delivering citric, glycolic, malic, tartaric and lactic acids in natural proportions, for regular, well-tolerated exfoliation.

Alpha-Contour · Alpha-Peel · Alpha-Fluid · Le Masque – Excellence Code · Lait Auto-Bronzant

Pure glycolic acid

Glycolic Acid

The smallest molecule in the family, and the most penetrating: dosed at 10% in Glyconight, and added to the complex in Alpha-Peel. See its dedicated spotlight.

Glyconight 10% Masque · Alpha-Peel

Lactic acid

Lactic Acid

The gentlest AHA, hydrating and purifying, paired with ichthyol in our blemish treatments. At very low doses, it also serves as a pH adjuster in other formulas.

Key active in: Juvenil · SOS Spot Roll-On

In cosmeticsUses

  • Renewing peels, as a course of treatment;
  • Smoothing, radiance fluids and masks;
  • Anti-wrinkle eye care;
  • Self-tanners, for an even tan;
  • Blemish care, with lactic acid.

The Yon-Ka approach

Exfoliate without aggression. In the Alpha line, fruit acids are always paired with mimosa tenuiflora, the Aztecs' repairing bark, and plant peptides that rebuild what exfoliation has renewed. The results of a peel, the comfort of a treatment.

The science of the active, the sensoriality of the plant.

How to useAdding them to your ritual

  1. In the evening, as a course
    Alpha-Fluid after Lotion Yon-Ka, on its own or under your cream, for 4 to 8 weeks.
  2. Once or twice a week
    Alpha-Peel in a thin layer for 10 minutes on cleansed skin, then rinse.
  3. The next morning
    SPF 50+ Mineral Fluid is a must: freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to UV.
  4. Alternate
    Don't combine AHAs and retinol-like actives on the same evening; alternate them from night to night.

Good to knowStorage and precautions

Fruit acids are stable actives and need no special storage. Close your bottles tightly.

A slight tingling on application is normal and fades within minutes. AHAs increase sensitivity to the sun: apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen such as our SPF 50+ Mineral Fluid during the day and avoid courses during periods of intense exposure3. Avoid the immediate eye area with pure formulas (Alpha-Contour is specifically dosed for this zone), broken skin and lips. On sensitive skin, start every other evening. Not recommended during pregnancy, as a precaution.

Go furtherSources

  1. Tang S.C., Yang J.H. Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the Skin. Molecules, 2018; 23(4): 863. PubMed
  2. Kornhauser A., Coelho S.G., Hearing V.J. Applications of hydroxy acids: classification, mechanisms, and photoactivity. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2010; 3: 135-142. PubMed
  3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Alpha Hydroxy Acids. fda.gov
  4. COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe), cosmetic ingredient database. cosmileeurope.eu
Selection

Our fruit acid treatments

The Yon-Ka formulas where fruit acids are a key ingredient.

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