Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel, 30ml (Professional)
by Skin Laboratory
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List Price: Our Price: $18.95 You Save: $16.00 (46%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: Beauty See more product details |
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Customer Reviews of Glycolic Acid 35% Gel Peel, 30ml (Professional)
Customer Review: Truth in Advertising?
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm looking for a TCA peel and notice this and shake my head- This company states that
"Glycolic acid...It's small molecule allows it to slip beneath the epidermis to reach the collagen fibers below and results in 15%-25% thickening over 12 weeks."
And-
"Lactic: "The Lactic acid molecule works to pull moisture into the cells"
And
Glycolac: "It is generally well tolerated because the lactic and glycolic work on different levels or the skin."
Wow! REALLY? Glycolic acid is a small molecule which slips beneath the epidermis to reach the collagen fibers below? The only cosmetic peels that penetrate any deeper than sloughing off the first superficial layer of skin, are the phenols and TCAs. This is why phenols are only done by a doctor and under anesthesia. The strong TCAs are done by a doc or licensed esthetician. You can buy the lower strength TCA peels online albeit with a caveat of warnings and disclaimers (so if you use a higher strength than you should or leave it on longer than you should, apply it incorrectly, et al, and give yourself a nice chemical burn, you can't sue the merchant.) Still, these peels do not reach the dermis, where collagen is located. So unless your glycolic acid peel is a modern day miracle, it cannot "slip" beneath the epidermis. Chemical peels can help to stimulate the body's production of collagen due to the necrosis (yes, death) of the top layers of skin cells IN the epidermis. The skin reacts to the cell death by stimulating the collagen production just as exposure to sunlight stimulates the production of melanin thus giving people a tan. It has nada to do with gently slipping 'neath the skin and petting the "collagen fibers". Your glycolic acid peel would be a miracle of chemistry if it did what you claim. It would also get people really ill, but that's beside the point I guess. My Lord, even the injectable collagen fillers are made up of molecules that are too big to be absorbed, hence the injectable part. If any topical cosmetic product contained a molecule small enough to actually penetrate the dermis, it would be a prescription now, wouldn't ya think?
Moving on to your Lactic Acid claim...Exactly how does a lactic acid molecule "pull moisture" into cells? Lactic acid is a hydroxy acid derived from milk. It is not a humectant which attracts and retains moisture from the environment. Is that what you meant by pulling moisture in? A lactic acid peel (or any peel) can help to increase the skin's ability to retain moisture by dissolving the glue-like substance made of sebum, dirt, old makeup, etc...that holds the dead skin cells together. This results in the dead skin cells sloughing off. The skin can now take in moisture better instead of the moisture sitting on top.
And what exactly is "Glycolac" and how does this product (or is it a new molecule?) work on "different layers of skin"? Which layers? I take it the Glyco part of it can slip beneath the epidermis as well?
Sorry but this kind of advertising really gets my goat. I am trying to find a decent TCA peel on Amazon and it's frustrating to have to wade through all the c-r-a-p and the false claims made by some vendors. Maybe you have a decent product but I wouldn't bother to actually purchase it after reading the pitch.
Customer Review: Great product. It is your first chemical peel with training wheels
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been using this product for a month to treat hyperpigmentation from pregnancy. I think the best way to apply this product is with a fan brush, with that being said I purchased my brush from a local craft store for $3 & it worked great. This product is a gel, but not in a thick hair gel sort of way, this product has the consistency of pancake syrup. If you apply this product & find it running into your eyes or down your face you are applying way too much product, all I needed was about a nickel sized amount of this gel to cover my whole face. I use the product every 5 to 7 days, and even though they send a small bottle that is enough for many applications.
It is not advised that you exfoliate your skin prior to using this product. I wash my face with a gentle cleanser & then wait an hour before I apply the product. Prior to application I put petroleum jelly around my hair line, around & on my lips, and on the tip and corners of my nose. I read and followed the directions that came with it, I also have very pale & sensitive skin. Don't try to "get your money's worth" by leaving this product on longer, it is an acid you will burn yourself, it's only $18 don't be foolish.
Using the fan brush coat your forehead first & then your cheeks. The 1st time I used it I left it on for 2 minutes, I felt a light sting and was aware I had something on my face, on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst pain & 1 being little to no pain, the pain was barely a 1. I rinsed my face with tap water for about 3 minutes followed by splashing my face with water in the sink that had 2 tabelspoons of baking soda in it to neutralize any traces of the chemical on my face. I paid special attention that I got it all off around my hairline & under my jaw.
With that being said for the ladies avoid applying this product near or during "that time of the month". That is when I applied this product for the 2nd time, my pain was a good 3 out of 10, a marked difference from the 1st time I applied it. No adverse reaction just an increased sensitivity to pain.
You won't see immediate results, in fact my face was never even really dry enough to bother me, my skin did look a little dull for a couple of days. What I did notice 5 days later was a thin layer of skin sloughing off after I got out of the shower & I was using a rough towel drying my face. My skin afterwards was very peachy, bright & refreshed looking. So this peel isn't life changing, it has nice results, but you have to ask yourself, do you really want to apply an acid strong enough to eat away two layers of skin that you bought off the internet in your home? Um..NO, so start off with baby steps, you may have to apply this product more times to achieve the look of a deeper peel, but you'll also avoid hurting yourself in the process.
Customer Review: This product is my Holy Grail
Summary: 5 Stars
My skin and I haven't been on speaking terms for years. Horrible, brutal, stubborn, disfiguring cystic acne, so viciously tenacious that I had to go through...yes, count 'em...not one, but TWO rounds of Accutane to rid my self of it, and I STILL get a nice cyst on my back or chest every once in a while. I had pockmarks on top of pockmarks...forehead, cheeks, temples, chin, bridge of my nose even. I hate my skin, I really do. I've gone through 2 deep dermabrasions (through a plastic surgeon, not the micro kind), plus about 30 DEEP chemical peels. My scarring improved a lot.
But professional options get expensive, and taking weeks at a time off while my skin healed wasn't feasible. So I tried other methods to get rid of the rest of the scarring.
Over-the-counter products like Mederma didn't help. Then as I aged, I got grayish, blotchy, dull, oily-here-wrinkly-there skin to add to my scars.
Lovely.
I've used salicylic acid, makes my skin red and papery. I've used Mederma, nothing.
Sorry for the big lead in, but I wanted to give y'all a good idea of what I was already "facing" (sorry for the bad pun).
I saw this Skin Laboratories 35% Glycolic Acid peel advertised, decided it certainly couldn't hurt.
Bought it, received it very quickly, followed the easy-to-follow directions, love it. The lifeless, grayish appearance of my skin is gone. My smaller scars and pores are much diminished, after only 5 weeks of use, so much so that I can actually COUNT the number of scars I have left. (There were so many before, it was useless to count).
I will admit, I modified the instructions to fit my needs. I leave it on ten minutes at a time. Remember, I am a veteran of strong deep (EXPENSIVE) professional chemical peels, so my skin is quite tolerant to acid. I don't get a visible see-your-skin-flake-off "peel" from this product either (something a few of you have complained about), but that's so much the better! I don't have to miss work for a week at a time to let my skin heal, like with the strong chemical peels. But believe me, the skin cells ARE sloughing off and being replaced. You know how that 10 pounds just snuck up on you after the holidays, and you didn't notice? The skin rejuvenation you will get using this product is the same way: you don't notice it until it's done it's work.
I use this product once a week. After next week (my 6th), I'll wait a month before I go through the cycle again.
I'm also going to start using this product on my chest, which of course, is also scarred and weather-beaten.
Skin Laboratories, I Bow Before You. This is a superior product.
Customer Review: Ongoing review - great product!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am 35 years old, light skin, oily, with frequent acne breakouts, especially on the cheeks and around the jowl and the chin. I use liquid foundation, followed by powder makeup, followed by concealer - all to cover my scars and lesions. During my last appointment at a laser clinic, I scheduled a prof. peel for $175 to even out my skin. My main wishes were the following: 1. To clear out the skin so I don't have to wear makeup. 2. Minimum down time - I really didn't want any redness or peeling. While waiting for my prof. peel appointment, I purchased this bottle and receieved it promptly in 2 days, with detailed instructions.
Day 1. After the shower (all pores are open, skin is clean), I used the Q-tip to apply generous amount of the gel peel on my face, starting with my forehead, and ending with the chin and neck. I felt very little stinging, and was able to tolerate the suggested maximum of 10 minutes (be smart when you are applying - if it hurts, take it off, if not, keep going). I washed the gel off completely and followed with a moisturizing oil-free lotion. Looked in the mirror - no change. Went to sleep. Next morning - looked in the mirror, saw no pores. I always had large pores, clearly visible from afar. This time - no redness, no peeling, no pores. Picked up the phone and cancelled my professional chemical peel. I'm thinking I'll be doing this peel every 2 days (again, be smart - if for you it's painful, don't do it often, maybe every 5-7 days?)
Day 3. Applied generous amount, this time it burnt a little more. Kept it on for 10 min, rinsed, moisturized. Next morning saw no visible difference, but! I applied liquid makeup, and realized I don't need powder for my cheeks - liquid makeup alone evened out my skin tone. The jowl line and the chin, however, were still in bad condition.
Day 5. Applied using a cotton ball - application is more even, but a lot less. Started with the chin instead of the forehead. Kept it on for 12 minutes.
I have now applied this product numerous times (every other day), and each time I keep it on for 10 minutes. It stings badly the first minute, but the rest of the time it just itches. My forehead and cheeks cleared, but the chin and the jowl line did not - however they are peeling slightly. New acne is forming, but is going away in 1 day (instead of 2-3 weeks). I am now using a moisturizer, which I never could before because of severe breakouts. Once this bottle is empty, I'm switching to a higher concentration peel. I hope this helps!
Customer Review: I like it but....
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this after reading so many other reviews. So far I have used it four times.
The first three times I used it I could not tolerate the tingling, prickly (almost like glass in your face) sensations. I have very sensitive skin so prehapes that has something to do with why my tolerance was not very high. So only keeping it on for the first two minutes the first three times it didn't seem to do a lot. It did though leave a smoother feel to my skin and after the third time my pores looked a little smaller. I never itched afterwards but my checks and nose (Where my pores are the largest) almost seemed to toughen. After about a week they were soft again. It was not noticable by the human eye it just felt that way to me, by touch.
The fouth time I used it, the prickly sensation seemed much more tolerable therefore I left it on for 5 minutes. I can see a much better result and my skin itches a good bit. They say not to scratch or rub so I'm doing my best not to. But the skin around my nose where the pores seem to be very large, for my entire life but especially after giving birth, seemed to be almost completely gone now. The pores around my checks are considerably smaller and much finer looking so they are not noticable anymore and the toughness that I had before is not there this time. I also changed facial creams so I don't know if that has anything to do with it but in my opinon it does. The better results I really think are due to leaving it on longer.
In addition, I can SEE more smoothness on the rest of the skin on my face, including two very tiny spots, that were from sun damage, have been aletered. Only one shimmers a slight visual the other is compeltely gone. As for my very fine lines they are still there. But with the rest so far I'm fairly pleased.
I had one facial before that they used a chemical peel in a salon and the peel didn't tingle so much and it was left on for a good 15 minutes. The bad part about my peel is the girl was apparently ruff and due to that I had scabes on my face afterwards. I'm told that should never of happened.
Therefore, I'm very happy I found this product and will certainly continue to use it and maybe it will hit the fine lines soon. I will keep my bottle after it is empty just in case I want to repurchase it but I most likely will look to try a different product.