Ahaglow Face Wash : Hit or Miss?

Last updated on 16 September, 2024

Glycolic Acid based products work well for my oily, acne prone skin. I had used Ahaglow face wash long time back, something like 3 years ago.

At that time I didn’t have much knowledge about AHA, BHA based cleansers and simply treated the face wash as a normal one. Although there is much more to this face wash! Read on!

Brand Claims of Ahaglow face wash

Ahaglow Face Wash rejuvenates the dry and dull skin and keeps the skin soft and hydrated. It cleanses the skin deeply with its natural foaming ingredients and helps in improving skin texture. The gel is made with more than 80% of purified water and filled with plant-based natural surfactants that help in keeping the skin moisturized. Enriched with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E , it refreshes and rejuvenates the skin.

  • Rejuvenates the skin by encouraging the shedding of old and dead skin cells
  • Reduces the number of superficial wrinkles
  • Improves the skin tone and texture
  • Unblocks and cleanses the pores

Ingredients of Ahaglow Face Wash

Purified water, Acrylate copolymer, Sodium laureth sulfate, aloe vera, polysorbate 80, sodium cocoyl Apple Amino acids, Decyl glucoside, Coloured millicapsules, glycoclic acid, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, vitamin E acetate and Potassium Hydroxide.

Price, Shelf life and Availability –

434 INR for 100 gms with a shelf life of 2 years. Easily available in medical stores as well as online on Amazon

Packaging, texture and consistency

The face wash is housed in a yellow, plastic tube with flip top cap, although the face wash is clear in colour. It has a runny consistency and contains multi-colored millicapsules. The millicapsules are very soft and can be easily crushed while using and are not made of plastic. The texture of the face wash is soft, gooey and runny type. Although it is not sticky as such, still due care is to be taken while using it. The face wash has a mild and pleasant cologne type scent which doesn’t bother me at all. The scent is absolutely non lingering.

How to use Ahaglow face wash?

Wet the face with clean water. Squeeze out a coin sized quantity of Ahaglow face wash. Crush the capsules present in the face wash gel. Foam up the face wash on palms itself and then massage gently on the face in a circular motion. Rinse off with clean water and pat your face dry. Use as per the tolerance of your skin for best results.

My experience with Ahaglow face wash

Ahaglow face wash is a glycolic acid based and is designed to be used as per your skin’s tolerance. I have used the face wash daily, weekly as well as sparingly and will pen down my review accordingly. The face wash foams nicely and produces sufficient lather. It contains 1% Glycolic Acid, SLES, Aloe vera and Vitamin E along with other ingredients.

It exfoliates the facial skin in just one use and leaves it pretty soft and hydrated. I have seen a reduction in my small, cystic acne in 2-3 uses of the face wash daily once. The face wash also reduces the whiteheads which can be felt by touch, although it doesn’t reduce them beyond the skin surface. In a sense, it doesn’t reduce the appearance of the pores or blackheads as such. Ahaglow face wash also lasts really long. One 50 gm tube could easily last more than 2 months, although it does depend on how many times you use it in a week.

Along with exfoliation, Ahaglow face wash gives an instant brightening effect without drying out the skin. The basic catch is here, since the skin doesn’t dry out, it poses a great chance of skin irritation. Also keep in mind, the face wash exfoliates upto an extent and the actual effect also depends on the types of moisturisers you are using. Whenever I use oil free moisturizers, the face feels nice and whiteheads seem to be reduced. Whenever I use some other moisturizers which are not oil free, I can see some increase in whiteheads on nose and adjacent area which was previously exfoliated.

Coming to the usage, initially I was not accustomed to the right way of usage. I was not foaming the face wash on palms and instead was trying to foam it on the face itself. This sometimes irritated my skin and I got a few red, bumps on my skin. I have used the face wash for almost one month or even more than that.

I have literally played around and compiled a few things to keep in mind while using the face wash to avoid skin irritation.

Ahaglow Face Wash precautions

  • Make sure to lather the face wash on palms and not directly on the skin
  • Just glide the face wash and do not rub on any area
  • Do not use more than required quantity
  • Do not follow the one minute rule for this face wash. Only 20 seconds are enough.
  • Do not massage it on the tough areas of whiteheads and blackheads
  • Glide the face wash foam on your face (as if you are ice skating :D)
  • Be as gentle and graceful as possible while using the face wash
  • Do not use twice per day. Initially use twice per week and then see how it goes
  • Vitamin C (separate product altogether) and any AHAs should not be mixed. Vitamin C in the a.m. and glycolic acid in the p.m.
  • Retinoids and glycolic acid should NOT be used together at the same time. It could lead to over exfoliation and skin may get irritated and suffer from redness or red bumps.
  • Kindly check with your health practitioner if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.

Pros

  • Helps with small cystic acne by unclogging and cleansing the congested skin
  • Helps in revitalization and brightening of the face by shedding the dead skin
  • Little goes a long way
  • Lathers pretty well even in hard water supply (SLES based)
  • Makes the skin soft and hydrated after each use
  • Improves overall skin tone and texture
  • Cleanses the skin nicely without drying the skin
  • Improves acne marks, unclogs pores, and removes dead skin cells
  • Maintains skin’s natural pH value
  • Hydrates the skin, keeping it healthy
  • Lasts really long, 50 gms will last two months easily

Cons

  • Contains SLES
  • May irritate the skin if used more than required quantity or when used daily
  • Might not suit dry skin and sensitive skin as it might irritate easily
  • Face wash forms a little sticky glue like film at the mouth of dispenser
  • Sometimes the face wash is dispensed even before squeezing the tube

Ahaglow Face Wash Review

The face wash is a good, drugstore, glycolic acid based which not only claims to exfoliate and brighten the skin but satisfies the same. The Ahaglow face wash does cause irritation when not used properly, but this fact can be attributed to glycolic acid. It makes the skin soft and hydrated while reducing the acne as well as acne marks. The product also lasts longer than thought. I truly feel Ahaglow Face Wash is the best glycolic acid face wash in India. I would totally recommend it if you suffer from mild to moderate acne and are looking for a great face wash, provided you take the above mentioned necessary precautions.

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About Sonali

Sonali, is a skincare aficionado who tackles one skin problem at a time. She has been blogging at Skincare Villa since 2016 and is a Certified Formulator for making dry powder based masks and cleansers.