Everyone with insanely clear, glowing skin is using this one ingredient – and many have never heard of it: POLISHED

Welcome to Polished with Elise Wilson, where Daily Mail’s qualified makeup artist and hair stylist answers your questions, shares advice, and trials the up-and-coming beauty and skincare trends so you don’t have to.

If there is one skincare ingredient I can’t seem to escape right now, it’s azelaic acid.

Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and this ‘it’ ingredient is suddenly all through the routines of skincare obsessives showing off insanely clear complexions.

And it turns out my algorithm isn’t the only one obsessed with recent trend data putting searches for azelaic acid at around 368,000 a month worldwide, up 83 per cent in the past year alone, making it one of the fastest-growing skincare searches of 2026. 

One person who really put it on my radar is Australian skincare expert Peyton Smith, who I follow on TikTok and has practically made it her life’s mission to shout about azelaic acid from the rooftops.

Her own skin transformation and the before-and-afters she regularly shares are seriously impressive and have had me hooked into her skin journey for over a year now.

But while us beauty obsessives love nothing more than an ingredient having its viral moment, azelaic acid isn’t actually that ‘new’.

In fact, it’s been used in skincare for years to target everything from blemishes and uneven texture to redness and pigmentation.

According to Rita Silva, Senior Manager of Scientific Communications at The Ordinary, social media has most definitely played a major role in its sudden rise.

‘The visibility of content creators sharing their results with prescription-strength versions has likely played a significant role,’ she explained.

‘This trend has encouraged skincare brands to develop more user-friendly and elegant formulations, making the ingredient far more accessible and appealing to the everyday consumer.’

There’s one routine in particular doing the rounds, based around the so-called azelaic acid and tretinoin ‘sandwich’, which users are crediting for exceptionally smooth, luminous-looking skin.

Tretinoin is prescription-only in Australia, so that’s firmly a conversation to have with your doctor rather than a skincare routine I’m suggesting you recreate at home. But the growing obsession did make me wonder about the other half of the equation.

What exactly is azelaic acid, and does it deserve a place in all of our bathrooms, or is the hype getting ahead of itself?

What actually is azelaic acid?

Despite the slightly intimidating name, azelaic acid is a naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid found in grains including wheat, rye and barley, although Rita tells me most cosmetic-grade versions are produced through biofermentation.

In skincare, it’s particularly useful for improving the appearance of uneven skin tone and texture while soothing blemish-prone skin.

Despite being called an ‘acid’, it doesn’t behave in quite the same way as the AHAs and BHAs many of us have spent years slathering onto our faces.

‘While most exfoliating acids are keratolytic agents, meaning they break down the bonds between dead skin cells on the surface to help them shed, azelaic acid acts as an anti-keratinising agent, slowing down or normalising the abnormal buildup of keratinised dead skin cells to begin with,’ Rita explained.

Even better, she said it can reduce the appearance of redness, making it particularly useful for visibly calming angry-looking breakouts.

Why does everyone suddenly have it in their routine?

One of the reasons azelaic acid is so appealing is that it isn’t a one-trick pony.

If your skin is prone to blemishes, redness, uneven tone or rough texture, there’s potentially something here for you. 

And unlike some of the more intimidating actives in our skincare cupboards, certain formulations can also be suitable for sensitive and rosacea-prone skin.

Rita said The Ordinary’s Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% ($19.30), for example, is suitable for blemish-prone, rosacea-prone and sensitive skin, although she stressed that this won’t necessarily apply to every formula on the market.

Will it give you that ‘glass skin’ glow?

This is where expectations need a little managing, because one ingredient alone is not the be-all and end-all.

As much as it’s been hyped, azelaic acid isn’t a magic highlighter in a tube. But by helping improve uneven-looking tone and texture and calming the appearance of blemishes and redness, it can create the conditions for skin to look smoother, clearer and consequently more radiant.

According to Rita though, The Ordinary’s own clinical testing found its 10 per cent formula started to clear skin in one week, while improvements in the appearance of uneven skin tone and texture were seen after four weeks.

Results, of course, will depend on the individual product you’re using.

Is azelaic acid the new retinol?

This is probably the comparison I’ve seen most frequently online, but the answer is, not quite.

Azelaic acid and retinoids are chemically very different and work differently within the skin.

‘While retinoids support the skin’s natural collagen, alongside skin cell turnover, azelaic acid works mostly as an anti-keratinising and soothing agent,’ Rita said.

They do have some crossover, particularly when it comes to targeting uneven-looking texture and tone. But if you’re reaching for retinol specifically to tackle fine lines, wrinkles, firmness and elasticity, azelaic acid isn’t a straight swap.

However, if what you really want is a smoother, clearer and more even-looking complexion, and you’re less concerned about the age-supporting benefits of retinoids, azelaic acid becomes a strong option.

The layering rules you need to know

Now for the part that can turn even the most enthusiastic skincare obsessive into an amateur chemist – if you’re wondering what on earth you should layer it with, I’ve found the answers.

Depending on the individual formulation, it may be suitable for daily use. 

Most can be used morning and evening, although Rita recommends patch testing whenever you’re introducing something new to your regime.

As with any active, don’t get overzealous. Even though azelaic acid is generally considered gentle, it’s worth introducing it gradually once or twice a week and building up frequency as your skin develops a tolerance, rather than going straight in with daily or twice-daily use.  

What you pair it with depends on what you’re trying to achieve. For uneven-looking tone, for example, Rita suggests adding an ingredient such as alpha arbutin.

You can also safely layer it with other hydrating and soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides, as well as skin brighteners like niacinamide and vitamin C. 

But remember, slow and steady until your skin adjusts!

‘We don’t recommend combining azelaic acid with other exfoliating acids, [or] applying it alongside skin renewing actives, like retinoids.’

Which brings me back to those viral tretinoin routines. They might be captivating to watch, but copying another person’s cocktail of powerful actives isn’t necessarily the route to their complexion.

What about the dreaded ‘purge’ phase?

One of the most common concerns whenever we introduce an active is whether our skin is going to get considerably worse before it gets better.

Interestingly, Rita says purging with azelaic acid isn’t something The Ordinary has observed either in the literature or its own clinical studies.

That doesn’t mean irritation is impossible, however, as everyone’s skin is different, which is why patch testing remains important.

‘People may apply too much, leading to irritation and dryness,’ Rita said.

Is azelaic acid worth the hype?

For once, I think the algorithm might actually be onto something, with a resounding yes coming from the experts I’ve been chatting to.

There are plenty of viral skincare ingredients that arrive with an enormous amount of noise and disappear almost as quickly. 

But azelaic acid feels different because the social media obsession is shining a spotlight on an ingredient that has already proven it has been doing the solid work.

It won’t replace every active in your bathroom, but if clearer-looking skin, less visible redness, smoother texture and a more even complexion are on your wish list, it’s definitely worth a go.

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely my own and do not reflect those of any brands or companies mentioned. This content is not sponsored or endorsed. Prescription skincare should only be used under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional, and this article is not intended to replace medical advice.