“My skin is easily irritated – this is the soothing ingredient I always keep on hand”

As a beauty editor, I’ve watched countless skincare ingredients go from relatively under-the-radar to suddenly being everywhere. Hypochlorous acid is one of them. A few years ago, you’d have struggled to find many people outside of dermatology circles talking about it – and now, hypochlorous acid sprays are all over my social feeds, and there’s an ever-growing number landing on my desk.

But this is one skincare trend I was already firmly on board with before it hit TikTok. I was first introduced to hypochlorous acid years ago by a dermatologist, who recommended I keep a spray on hand when my sensitive, easily irritated skin was going through a particularly unhappy phase, and I’ve had one in rotation ever since.

Don’t be fooled by the word ‘acid’ – hypochlorous acid is a weak, chlorine-based molecule that’s naturally produced by our own immune cells and, when formulated appropriately for topical skincare, can be used as a gentle skin-purifying ingredient.

“Hypochlorous acid works to kill pathogens while being gentle on human cells, making it a safe option for various applications,” says chemical engineer and skincare formulator Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz.

“It’s often used for wound care and as a disinfectant thanks to its potent but gentle antimicrobial properties. It can also be used to manage inflammatory skin conditions like atopic eczema and acne for the same reasons. For eczema sufferers, hypochlorous acid has shown potential as a non-steroidal alternative due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, it may not fully replace the role of topical steroids in all cases.”

In beauty products, you’ll most commonly find it in water-based face mists or liquid toners. Rather than exfoliating the skin in the way you might associate with glycolic or salicylic acid, hypochlorous acid sprays are generally used to help soothe and refresh stressed-looking skin.

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