If your skincare routine feels like a chemistry experiment with too many steps, azelaic acid might be the ingredient you’ve been missing. While it doesn’t get as much “hype” as vitamin C or retinol, dermatologists often call it the Swiss Army Knife of skincare because it treats acne, redness, and hyperpigmentation all at once.
Naturally derived from grains like barley and rye (and also produced by yeast on your skin), azelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid that is gentle enough for almost all skin types—including those with sensitive skin or rosacea.
