They may have had a bad rap in the 90s but chemical peels are a worthy tool to have in your skincare and salon treatment arsenal. Lucy Slight talks to the experts about the benefits of these skin-sloughing superstars.
Fans of Sex and the City will no doubt recall the
Set to accompany Carrie to her book launch, Samantha decides to treat herself to a little skin refresh with a chemical peel, but the results are less glow, more — in Carrie’s words — “beef carpaccio”, and she spends the evening hiding her raw face beneath a black veil.
Not the best press for chemical peels, especially from a successful PR executive. Fast forward a couple of decades and peels have come a long way, so if that episode is still haunting you, it’s time to reposition your thoughts.
Essentially, chemical peels are a form of exfoliation that work by eating away at dead skin cells without friction, using active acids or enzymes. This is unlike traditional mechanical exfoliants or scrubs, which use a physical component such as kernels or granules to remove build-up on the skin.
Skin cell build-up can lead to dullness, congestion and an uneven skin tone, so chemical peels work at a surface level to help retexturise skin, tighten pores, clear congestion and reveal a brighter, more youthful complexion.
Having a professional peel at a clinic is the best option if you’re looking for the fastest and most effective results with a bespoke service suited to your skin — and you won’t be leaving with a red-raw face if it’s done properly. But with the rise of at-home peel products, there are now plenty of options for tackling acne, pigmentation and signs of ageing gently but effectively, in your own time too.
Peels can be broken down into two classifications: enzyme peels and acid peels. “An enzyme peel contains ingredients that literally digest [skin] — called proteolytic enzymes — which means they break down the protein of the skin cell, usually through enzymes made in a lab using things like papaya and pineapple,” explains Emma Hobson, Dermalogica’s director of education for the Asia-Pacific region.
Acid peels are the most common type of peel, both in salon and in at-home products, and they utilise alpha and beta hydroxy acids, such as salicylic, glycolic, lactic, malic and mandelic acids. The type of acids you opt for when purchasing an at-home product should depend on your skin type and the concern you’re looking to address.
The same goes for booking a clinical treatment, so if you’re new to the world of peels, getting a professional skin assessment first is a great way to determine which ingredients will work best on your skin.
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Advertise with NZME.“I’m not a great advocate of just walking up to a shelf in a general store and self-prescribing an active peel,” says Emma. “If you’re using quite active peels at home, they do need to be professionally recommended.”
Lucy Vincent, founder of Sans Ceuticals, agrees that self-prescribing has led to an increase in people experiencing sensitised skin due to the overuse of active skincare. “It’s important to emphasise being judicious when it comes to active skincare,” she says. “Less can truly be more and often in cosmetic chemistry there’s a sweet spot for dosage. A higher percentage does not always correlate to more benefit.”
Sans Ceuticals uses a concentration of five per cent lactic acid in its Superdose Luminosity Mask, which is one of the gentlest forms of AHA and helps to reset the skin’s pH levels, says Lucy. “Lactic acid supports healthy skin by correcting the pH, allowing healthy microflora to flourish, while eliminating bad bacteria that can cause acne. It is also incredibly hydrating because of its unique structure allowing it to bind water within skin.”
When it comes to treating acne, Emma is a fan of salicylic acid, which can either be used on its own or in conjunction with other acids. “Salicylic acid is one of the few ingredients that can actually go into the oil gland of the skin and help reduce blockages,” explains Emma. “It can also help prevent future breakouts.”
Environ’s Revival Masque, described by Environ founder and scientific director Dr Des Fernandes as a ‘facelift in a jar’, uses a combination of lactic, mandelic acid and asiatic acids to increase the skin’s resilience, smooth the surface and promote a healthy radiance. The mask is designed to leave a low concentration of acid on the skin for a longer time, which Dr Des says causes pH changes in the epidermis (outermost layer of skin) but doesn’t kill keratinocytes (skin cells).
Instead, he says, the keratinocytes “experience a noxious environment that ‘threatens’ the cells and this, we believe, stimulates the emergence of the ‘Early Growth Response DNA switch’ in the nucleus of the cell and that promotes the release of growth and regenerative factors to promote rejuvenation.” In other words, skin is encouraged to regenerate at a faster rate, leading to a more youthful appearance, enhancing the overall look and feel of the skin.
While both Environ and Sans Ceuticals offer their acids in mask form, you can find acids in skincare across the board, including cleansers, toners, serums and moisturisers. Each one will deliver a different concentration of active ingredients that work in different ways in terms of their benefit to the skin.
A mask, which is generally designed to be used only once or twice a week, will likely contain a higher level of actives, as opposed to a hydroxy acid moisturiser designed for everyday use, which will slowly work to loosen skin cells from the epidermis.
A glycolic acid cleanser is gentler still and won’t be as effective since it’s only on the skin for a short period of time. Active cleansers can however be used in conjunction with your AHA or BHA serums or moisturisers.
While Emma says the risk of damaging your skin at home using these “superficial” peels is low if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely, you do need to be aware of not overloading your skin with other products, such as retinol, which may increase your skin’s sensitivity.
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Advertise with NZME.“If you’re using [an active] cleanser, you’re probably okay to use something active afterwards, but you wouldn’t put a retinol serum on with a serum full of hydroxy acids.”
Since both acid products and retinols are designed for use in the evenings, you’ll want to use them on alternate days, with rest days from all actives included if you feel your skin needs a break.
Always remember too that when using products containing hydroxy acids or enzymes, or undergoing professional acid or enzyme treatments, you must protect your skin during the day with an SPF, says Emma. “Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen,” she stresses. “It’s a peel’s best friend.”
Pause for these peels
From a mānuka oil exfoliant to a breakout-clearing liquid peel.
