Why Chemical Peels Are the Secret to Perfect Skin
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Did you know that the best time to get an in-office treatment at your dermatologist’s office is… right now? Thanks to the cooler weather, vanishing sunlight, and potential vacation days you’ve still got racked up, spending a little extra time at home healing from a procedure just makes seasonal sense.
Aside from laser treatments and certain injectables, one of the most popular in-office treatments that doesn’t take much time to employ but does require a bit of downtime, is a chemical peel. Peels are great because they tackle the sun damage (dark spots, melasma) that may have cropped up during the summer months via a topical chemical concoction that gets deep into the skin, fast. "Exfoliating enzymes in chemical peels work by gently removing the dead layer of the skin—a.k.a. the stratum corneum—to brighten and smooth," dermatologist David Kim, MD, previously told Allure.
Here’s typically how it works: A mix of chemicals (e.g. exfoliating acids) is applied to your skin in order to loosen and release the bonds holding dead skin cells to your face. Once those cells fall off—voilà!—newer, baby-like skin is revealed.
Along with overall brightening and smoothing, peels can also fade dark spots, even skin tone, and build collagen. Keep in mind that not all chemical peels are made the same (or look and feel as scary as a phenol peel)—they range in strength and in price, and can also be done safely at home using over-the-counter options formulated with alpha hydroxy (AHA) and beta hydroxy (BHA) acids. Downtime for these is typically no more than a few minutes of inflammation and little to no lingering irritation.
That being said, here are a few of my favorite at-home facial peels:
Kate Somerville Liquid ExfoliKate ($68): A skin-care classic! This nighttime serum puts in the midnight hours to tackle texture and minimize visibly large pores with a fruity combination of pineapple, papaya, and pumpkin enzymes, along with glycolic, malic, and lactic acids. My mom and I both swear by the glow this longtime-loved treatment induces.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel ($44): Recently spotted in the limited-edition Best of Beauty Allure Beauty Box, this fragrance-free and sensitive skin-friendly peel is formulated with a combination of 2% salicylic acid and a 25% cocktail of AHAs, like lactic and glycolic, to get skin glowing in just 10 minutes. I love it for its texture-smoothing abilities—my teenage acne scars don’t stand a chance!
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution ($10): This terrifying (it’s blood red on skin) yet effective treatment—made with glycolic, lactic, and salicyclic acids—works great at instantly brightening skin, scaring significant others, and doubling as a short-lived Halloween costume in a pinch. Please don’t wear for more than 10 minutes, though—you may end up scaring your skin, too.
Reader Question
This year, me and my husband are throwing our first Halloween party, and I plan to go all out with a Chappell Roan or Elphaba (aka The Wicked Witch of the West) beauty look. But I need it to stay on all night and, more importantly, for it to come off easily once the night is over. Which setting spray/powders and gentle makeup removers do you recommend?
— asks Allure Reader Dora
Dear Dora,
First, let’s start with the setting sprays! If your Halloween makeup leans more on the glassy side, try the Urban Decay All-Nighter Extra Glow Setting Spray, while the Milk Makeup Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray is best for flat finishes. Both are well-loved by Allure editors and have been deemed 2024 Best of Beauty winners.
Hours later, when you’re ready to remove it all, use the double-cleansing method: Start with a massaging in a heavy dollop of cleansing balm, like the sensitive skin-friendly The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm or the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, into your skin. Then follow up step one with a gentle gel- or cream-based face wash, like the Dr. Loretta Gentle Hydrating Cleanser or Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Mousse. Rinse and repeat until the green is gone.
Have a burning skin-care question? Send one in.
Editor's Pick
BEST AT-HOME PEEL: Shani Darden Skin Care Triple Acid Signature Peel
Two-step, brush-on treatment
Made with lactic, glycolic, and mandelic acids to chemically exfoliate
A 2024 Allure Best of Beauty winner
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Book Club
Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica
★★★★☆
A truly bizarre, unsettling set of short stories that put the “horror” in horrific. Read at your own risk.
Originally Appeared on Allure
