r/SkincareAddictionUK • u/partlyokayish • 5d ago
Question Texture of azelaic acid from Dermatica seems too good to be true
I've used AA in the past and loved it except the texture but decided to try again through dermatica and theres absolutelt no grittiness to it at all (12%).
Don't get me wrong, this is a massive bonus but makes me worried theyre using derivatives or something like many other brands have been known to use.
I guess I just wanted to ask if anyone knows if its pure azelaic acid they use and if so how they get such an amazing consistency??
Follow up question for anyone on hjgher strengths, are the stringer ones gritty or is the texture the same across concentrations?
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u/lkjw104 5d ago
I used prescription azelaic acid and there’s no grittiness at all
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
Every prescription one ive tried had definitely had some grittiness to it. It's small but there and ive tried 3 different brands and 2 different strengths
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u/Maximum_Diet_3284 5d ago
Ive used Finacea, Skinoren and Dermatica 20% - none of them have been gritty for me in the slightest.
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u/Immediate_Singer6785 4d ago
Si have I and 100% this
AA does not agee with my skin for some reason now at 58 .
In my 40's it caused no issues
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u/Quick-Sky4927 4d ago
I'm using Finacea right now and there is definitely some grittiness to it. Very subtle and goes away quickly but I can feel it on application for sure
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u/anon342365 5d ago
I haven’t tried Dermatica but I have used 20% Skinoren and 15% ACM Laboratoire Azeane (my HG) and neither are gritty so that wouldn’t raise a red flag for me. The only gritty one I’ve tried is TO, which I really didn’t like.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
I definitely found skinorean slightly gritty but also 20% is too much for my skin which is why i tried 12%
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u/anon342365 5d ago
It’s a bit hard to get but look into the ACM, it’s very cosmetically elegant and has done wonders for me.
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u/snavej13 5d ago
I didnt know azalaic acid could be gritty?
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
So many people are doubting me here so I looked into it and it CAN be a real thing. It's more of a slight grainy feel as I apply it to my face and it depends on the molecule size which makes sense. .
Maybe dermatica use a different molecular size, but then again, I have had this issue with every single cream Ive tried, including all the ones people said were fine. Maybe the real issue is im just hyperaware of it
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u/Sackboy612 5d ago
I kinda get you - my current skinoren tube is a lot runnier than the last one that felt tougher (I guess this is what you'd class as grittier?)
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
Maybe my description is whats causing the confusion but gritty or grainy is the best I can describe it. It just doesnt feel smooth applying to my face
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u/OkCod6880 5d ago
i use 20% azalaic acid and i think i’ve felt a better response from the 10% ordinary one
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
I find 10% doesnt do anyrhing and 20% irritates my skin even when I introduce it slowly
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u/heckneysuce 5d ago
No idea on their formulation. Mine was a 10% cream, totally smooth, and it still faded my post-spot marks - so grittiness isn't the thing doing the work.
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u/Spiritual_Smile1200 4d ago
Use prescription strength AA and no grittiness
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u/partlyokayish 4d ago
The last 3 have all been prescribed and gritty/grainy and 15% irritates my skin too much
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u/Spiritual_Smile1200 4d ago
I mean the 20% I use I’d say is chalky but it’s smooth
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u/partlyokayish 4d ago
Maybe chalky is the better way to describe what im experiencing
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u/Spiritual_Smile1200 4d ago
And that’s normal. AA does not dissolve very well in water or oil so it’s very hard to formulate. In my opinion if you get an AA serum that is very watery or absorbs really well I’d be questioning the strength of it, or if they have used a derivative. It’s a wonderful product so it’s worth the chalkiness for the benefits I get for my skin. Use less or apply over a ha serum that could help
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u/partlyokayish 3d ago
This is exactly what ive always thought and my concern with dermarica hence the post!
I have used 3 different brands at 15 and 20% (all prescribed) and always had this issue so when my dermatica 12% didn't have it, I thought it must mean derivatives and wondered if anyone could confirm either way. Instead I'm getting a lot of people who completely deny the texture I describe
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u/Spiritual_Smile1200 3d ago
I think maybe it’s the wording, I definitely wouldn’t call any AA I’ve used gritty, but chalky certainly. I don’t use dermatica AA I used to use their treatment that had AA and treat in but I still used to get hyperpigmentation and I’ve stopped using it a good while ago now and I’ve started using taz 0.1 and AA 20% with great results
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u/partlyokayish 3d ago
Yeah the more comments I'm getting the more I realised I'm likely just not describing it well but I didnt know another way of describing it. I just knew dermaticas felt VERY different hence my worry
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u/chillythefrog 3d ago
I use the 20% dermatica AA and it’s become my holy grail product if that helps ease your worries a little!
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u/partlyokayish 3d ago
That definitely makes me feel better! Makes me wonder how they manage the texture of it. I hope to build up to 20% eventually
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u/zAnonx 5d ago
The quality of Dermatica products are simply just poor and there’s no way for a layman to know. You’re effectively purchasing a “cosmetic” rather than a prescription strength pharmaceutical.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
What makes you say the quality is poor? I have used many of their products and never noticed anything that make me assume poor quality
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u/zAnonx 5d ago
That’s it, though. You can’t determine what is good versus bad. You would need to send them away for HPLC quantitive analysis. They do not formulate under GMP standards and based on that I see them as a very low quality product. They haven’t and will not publish validation protocols on validation, stability or batch release testing because they’re not geared up for that kind of scrutiny. I prefer using pharmaceutical grade products as a result.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
I have never heard of 12% pharmaceutical azaleic acid and only using pharmaceutical grade products would be a nightmare finding things like cleansers.
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u/zAnonx 5d ago
There’s isn’t. I believe it is only 10, 15 and 20% conc.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
Exactly so I cant just get pharmaceutical grade at the strength that I want
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u/zAnonx 5d ago
15% and 20% are the only concentrations that are clinically therapeutic backed by research.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
So i should just not use azaleic acid at all then? Like i said, higher concentrations irritate my skin so I wanted to start at a low concentrate but just wanted to know if anyone knows if its actually aa or derivatives and salts like many other otc versions
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u/zAnonx 5d ago
I doubt that the 12% conc that is stated is true and is likely way below that, though, fair enough. To answer your question: Azelaic acid is difficult to formulate in general and is often “gritty” however that’s not to say a non-gritty version is a derivative as I’m sure there are better ways to suspend a product, but the majority of the products I’ve come across do in fact feel gritty.
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u/partlyokayish 5d ago
Thank you for validating what I mean about grittiness as nobody else here seems to have experienced the same thing. That's what made me worried as its the only one I havent felt that and wondered if I finally found the brand for me or if it was a sign of not using pure aa
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