I have mentioned before that incorporating an Aha into your
skincare routine can be an excellent way of treating problematic skin. When sticky
clammy weather makes oily skin oilier or if you have sun damage, AHAs can
really help. AHAs are literally one of the seven wonders of a modern skincare
routine; you’re really missing out if you’re not using them.
AHAs are Alpha Hydroxy Acids. Essentially, they break up the connections
between dead, thickened surface skin
cells and the lovely new cells underneath, leaving you with softer, smoother,
more radiant skin. This completely eliminates the need for physically exfoliating
the face. Products
full of harsh, gritty exfoliating agents are very bad news. They damage the
surface of the skin, can create broken capillaries and don’t evenly and
efficiently exfoliate the skin.
AHAs are also among the only ingredients which have proven anti-aging
benefits. They work. End of. This treatment peel from Neostrata is the most
effective skincare product I’ve encountered in some time. It’s not new, but it
is certainly worth talking about! A professional AHA peel is great if you can afford it,
but they can really add up and only those with a big budget could feasibly have
one more than once or twice per year. Besides, skin benefits from regular use
of AHAs. A weekly application keeps cell turnover in the skin high and helps to
work on pigmentation issues, acne scars, breakouts and the signs of premature
aging.
This
Glycolic Treatment Peel from Neostrata is a double whammy product. It contains
both AHAs and PHAs (Polyhydroxy acids), which are a gentler and more hydrating
form of AHA.
PHA's also loosen the bonds between old surface skin and new, but they
are larger in size, which means that they work more slowly than glycolic acid
and hence cause less irritation and stinging. They also attract water, so skin
is essentially hydrated while they work. PHAs are gentle enough for sensitive
skin, even rosacea prone skin.
This Neostrata peel contains 10% Glycolic Acid (an AHA) and 10% Citric
Acid (a PHA). In the box , you’ll find four little bottles of cleanser, four
sachets of citriate solution, which is the peel itself, and four sachets of
Neostrata’s Bionic Face Cream, which you apply after the peel. I had a two
treatment pack so I got 2 bottles of cleanser, 2 Citric Acid pads and a tube of
bionic cream. I got 2 free peels with the
fullsize bionic cream.
The citriate solution comes in a thoroughly saturated pad. This is the
process:
·
Thoroughly cleanse skin, either using the little cleansers in the pack,
or a good oil cleanser.
·
Take the citriate solution pad from its sachet, and sweep across dry
skin thoroughly. Avoid the eye and lip areas!
·
Leave for anything from fifteen minutes to three hours.
·
Cleanse thoroughly to remove all residue.
·
Apply your chosen skincare – your skin will drink it up!
When you open the citriate solution, the smell will be a touch
overpowering. Don’t worry! It smells scary, but it won’t hurt you. The solution
will go on very thinly, but will thicken and become tacky on exposure to the
air. Expect a bit of sting but it shouldn’t hurt obviously.
You will both see and feel the difference in your skin after
this treatment. However, if you’ve never used a glycolic acid product before,
your skin may react to it. The best way to prevent this is to acclimatise the
skin to glycolic acid by using a glycolic cleanser. I didn’t use a glycolic
cleanser I just went for it and my skin was perfect.
The
first time you use the citriate solution, leave it on for the minimum fifteen
minutes (unless you’re a regular user of AHA products) and graduate up with
each use, leaving it on the skin longer each time up to the maximum duration,
which is three hours. Use this product once weekly for a month.
Glycolic acid increases sensitivity to sunlight. Use of glycolic
acid without sunscreen will worsen pigmentation issues like sun spots and will
increase the rate of premature aging of the skin. If you use this product, you need a separate SPF. The one in your moisturiser
isn’t enough. There’s just no getting around it! If you’re willing to put in
the extra effort, though, you WILL have better skin! This kit is approx €49.95
and is available locally in Gallaghers Chemist. A full list of stockists is
available here:
Have
you tried this product, and are you a fan of AHA products? Let us know in the
comments!
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