Chemical peels at home?

[ashk36]

I've been reading all over the net about these, trying to decide if I want to give it a shot or not. I have very fair skin, and every time I get rid of a pimple, I'm left with a new bright red spot. They are determined to stay put, and are a bitch to cover up. Even when I do, my complexion still looks dull and uneven because I have that discoloration. I hate using liquid foundation, but it's the only thing that covers well enough so those spots aren't visible. Other than the red spots, my skin is clearer than it's been in quite some time. I can't complain, I just get the occasional breakout when it's my lady time.

SO...I emailed Makeup Artists Choice and asked which product(s) would be best, and they responded the next morning that I should try the 40% lactic acid peel once a week with their skin bleaching gel on targeted areas twice a day. The price is fair, it's FAR cheaper than getting a series of peels at a spa. I've read tons of reviews, just to see what I'm getting myself into. I understand it's not going to be an immediate difference, it will be something I'll need to keep doing to see any results. That's fine. But honestly, I would love it if I could finally leave the house without worrying about makeup...I just want pretty skin again. I want to be able to go out in public makeup-free without feeling so ugly. From far away, it looks like I have a huge breakout, when it's just these damn red marks. I can't even look a person in the eye when I'm not wearing makeup.

Sorry this is so long! My bad. I just wanted to get some honest reviews and opinions from anyone here who has used an at-home chemical peel. What type/percentage did you use, how was your experience, any tips, dos and don'ts, and I'd love to know what kind of results you got in the end. I'm sort of on the fence, leaning really really hard towards just saying screw it, buying the stuff, and praying like crazy that by next summer my face is back to it's pre-yucky poo poo stage (I am so mature.)

Please share your thoughts and opinions and loves and hates and rants and raves and whatever else you would like to add.

 

[gildedangel]

To be honest, I don't think that I would do a chemical peel at home unless you know exactly what you are doing; leaving it on for too long can result in worse scarring. I owuld say do it only as a last resort. I totally understand your issue; I have very severe redness from acne scaring for years too. I haven't tried a chemical peel at home, but I have been using a whitening mask (the Mario Badescu one) and it has made a noticable difference after a few uses for me, although it is not near perfect yet. If you are on the fence about it, try the mask first; if you don't like it then try the peel. Plus it is WAY cheaper than an at-home chemical peel (about $24 USD for a big tub of it). I know you can find it at Ulta and Nordstrom for sure, and you could even order it online from them. I hope that this helps!

 

[luxury]

i'm going to be trying a 35% Glycolic Acid peel at home pretty soon. There are a lot of people that do them at home with great results. I'm going to follow this guide:

GOLDILOCK'S GUIDE TO PEELS FOR NEWBIES, Message Boards, Cosmetic Surgery Message Boards, Forums, Skin Care, Chats

 

[Mabelle]

i tried an AWESOME peel this week.
It's the 3 step peel by Ole Hendriksen (available at sephora). It's described as a spa treatment at home. It's 3 steps; a walnut scrub, a lemon peel and a chamomile mask. The line is all natural btw.

Start with the scrub. It's a bit abrasive. I knew thisgoing in, so i just didnt massage very hard. Next time i will massage a bit harder just to make sure im achieving the full benefit. Leave this on for 2 minutes. Then wash off with warm water.

Next is the lemon peel. Apply all over face. Leave on for about 3 minutes. It tingles a bit... maybe a bit of prickling. Wash this off with warm water.

Next goes the calming mask. When i first put this on it was prickling like crrrazzzy. It lasts for about 5 minutes then feels fine. You keep it on for 20-30 minutes.

I have only used it once, but the redness on my face (around my cheeks) has significantly decreased. I did it about.... 3 or 4 days ago and my skin still looks nice. I also had these weird bumps on my face that kinda looked like hives or acne (duno what they are) and alot of them are gone too! I also had some weird teeny bumps around one eye and between my eyes that felt a bit like eczema. They too are gone. This set is fantastic!!! For the first time in a few years i feel super confident without any foundation on at all. My skin is glowing.

I highly suggest you try it. I think its 95$ at sephora, which i know is pricey. But holy shma-shmoly it is fantastic!!!!

 

[luxury]

There is a certain type of peel (one of them) the acid is derived from citrus fruits. That being said...I think $95 is incredibly overpriced for that type of 'natural' peel since it might just be the regular peels being sold online.

 

[Mabelle]

I don't know much bout peels. All i know is i bought this one and was thrilled with the results, especially since i was worried about my sensitive/reaction prone skin.
I like Ole Hendriksen products in general. They can be a bit pricey sometimes, but they all do what they say and more.

 

[luxury]

I was at Sephora today and saw that Clinique makes an at home peel system that lasts about 14 days (some say a whole month if you split treatments in half) for $55

 

[ashk36]

Well, those are still pretty expensive! Makeup Artists Choice 40% Lactic Peel ranges from $17 to $48, depending on size. I think I want to try one of their peels rather than shelling out $95.

 

[Door]

I have used MUAC Lactic Acid (55%), Salisylic Acid (15%) and TCA (12.5%) peels on my fair and sensitive skin. So far my experiences have been positive. I use Salisylic peel at summer, when my skin is oilier. At other times I use lactic acid peel 1 to 4 times a month (depending on my skin's condition).

I have done the TCA peel only once (just before Christmas) and I'd like to do another pne soon. The only problem is that I'd also like to wear make-up (which is not possible while the skin is peeling).

 

[luxury]

just be sure to research! I know certain peels you need to set aside a certain amount of time to stay at home because your face looks...terrible. The website I posted is a great resource.

 

[Door]

^I fully agree.

The TCA peel is one, which can make our face look horrible for a couple of days. Anyway, when I did this peel before Christmas, my case didn't look much worse than it usually does (no swelling, severe redness or anything like that).

After writing my previous message to this thread I ended up doing my 2nd TCA peel. Now my face is a little red and super shiny (because of the anti bacterial cream). This will be my last TCA peel for now. Next time I might do this peel is again before the next Christmas - if my skin seems to need it.

 

[ashk36]

I just wanna get rid of these red marks!! They're really not as bad as they used to be, probably because it's winter and I don't get ANY sunshine. But if I'm really hot, after a shower, have just exfoliated, or have been crying, they get REALLY red. It sucks! The skin on the rest of my body is beautiful, but the difference between my face and body, especially after the shower, standing in front of the mirror, is just night and day. I'm hoping I'll see some improvement once I try this peel at home a couple times. That's what's great about MUAC, as far as I'm concerned: The samples they give you are enough for several peels. Once you're done with a sample, you can go up to a stronger peel, until you get to where you want. I'm really looking forward to trying it. I plan on taking some good before and after pics, too. If your pics are chosen for publication on the website, they offer a gift package from their site worth $100. Nice.

 

[luxury]

any updates? I just placed an order with this site: The Original Skin Store

I ordered:

50% Alpha Beta Acid Peel For LINES ACNE SCARS OIL PORES
Price: $25.99

Acne Stop skin treatment with Salicylic & Lactic acids
Price: $12.99

and my shipping was free.

 

[ethereal]

This seems quite good. Hopefully they sell it in Australia...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mabelle i tried an AWESOME peel this week. It's the 3 step peel by Ole Hendriksen (available at sephora). It's described as a spa treatment at home. It's 3 steps; a walnut scrub, a lemon peel and a chamomile mask. The line is all natural btw. Start with the scrub. It's a bit abrasive. I knew thisgoing in, so i just didnt massage very hard. Next time i will massage a bit harder just to make sure im achieving the full benefit. Leave this on for 2 minutes. Then wash off with warm water. Next is the lemon peel. Apply all over face. Leave on for about 3 minutes. It tingles a bit... maybe a bit of prickling. Wash this off with warm water. Next goes the calming mask. When i first put this on it was prickling like crrrazzzy. It lasts for about 5 minutes then feels fine. You keep it on for 20-30 minutes. I have only used it once, but the redness on my face (around my cheeks) has significantly decreased. I did it about.... 3 or 4 days ago and my skin still looks nice. I also had these weird bumps on my face that kinda looked like hives or acne (duno what they are) and alot of them are gone too! I also had some weird teeny bumps around one eye and between my eyes that felt a bit like eczema. They too are gone. This set is fantastic!!! For the first time in a few years i feel super confident without any foundation on at all. My skin is glowing. I highly suggest you try it. I think its 95$ at sephora, which i know is pricey. But holy shma-shmoly it is fantastic!!!!

 

[luxury]

I had to update because I did my very first peel today! So I prepped my face, washing it twice with soap and waiting for my face to air dry. It came with two solutions, one 10% and the other 50%.

I applied the 10% which I had to leave on for 2-3 minutes, it burned more than I expected I had to fan my face. After a minute the burning was bearable and I left it on all three minutes.

I cringed at the next layer...the 50%. 3-6 minutes. I applied it and to my surprise...it didn't burn a single bit. Not at ALL. I left it on all 6 minutes then neutralized with baking soda and water. Afterwards I applied my moisturizer. My skin feels tight but from what I heard it's normal. My skin has a nice glow too.

Will update next week.

 

[ashk36]

I can't wait to hear your results, luxury. Did you have any acne marks, red spots, blackheads, or anything like that before the peel? Let us know if you see any differences. I still haven't ordered anything cause to be honest, I've been BRRRROKE. Boo. Hopefully I'll get a chance to order something next week.

 

[Strawberrymold]

I know I'm a bit late but just to weight in my two cents...

Over the counter peels can be great, you can find good stuff (I too have tried the Ole peel and it is indeed wonderful) However OTC peel are regulated to contain lower concentrations of various active ingredients (so if you want more instant results often a spa peel is a better deal because it penetrates deeper into the dermis). Know what the legal limit for what an OTC active ingredient is before you purchase a product promising a high % of it. All major AHA/AHB acids have one.

You have to be careful when looking for a good one and do your research. Cosmasuticals are not regulated by the FDA so there is no legal obligation to list all ingredients and there is much more wiggle room for legal BS. There are amazing products out there, don't get me wrong, but there are also very bad ones too. Also keep in mind that there is no law to state the purity or the source of an ingredient, for example gylcolic acid is derived from sugar... but it can also be synthetic reproduced (cheaply and poorly) even antioxidants can be synthetic reproduced. Knowing the grade of an ingredient can be important if a product has an extremely cheep price tag next to it competitors.

Also keep in mind that when you are paying a higher price tag for a product, it's not just the ingredients that you are paying for... research and development also factors into the cost, this can be worth the extra dollars. Often the deliver systems technology of a product will determine the stability of the ingredients and it's ability to absorb into the skin. This can make a huge difference on how the product works and how effective it is (especially Vitamin C).

More expensive isn't always better, but doing your research is. Know what you want and where it comes from. Also keep in mind that this is a business that is not FDA regulated so companies can legally very easily make false claims to how and how well their products work.

Sorry for the long rant. Skincare is kinda my passion and I tend to get long winded about it.

HTP

 

[ashk36]

Strawberrymold, thank you for the input! Do you have any product suggestions, or particular companies you trust or avoid? Please share, I'd like to know what to steer clear of.

 

[Lapis]

I think you should visit this forum
EDS Skin Care Forum

 

[ashk36]

Good call, Lapis. Checking it now.