Okay friends, it’s no secret that winter brings excessively dry skin, the dreaded flakiness, and just overall lack-luster skin because it is so cold, uncomfortable and dry… Well, not only is this common during the winter months, this can be incredibly prevalent during the season changes in general, and also when we skip the important step of exfoliation.
First, what is “exfoliation”? According to Dictionary.com, Exfoliation is the act, process, or state of being exfoliated. Exfoliate is defined as – “to throw off in scales, splinters, etc.” and “to remove the surface of (a bone, the skin, etc.) in scales or laminae.”
In a nut-shell, exfoliation is going to be the simple act of removing the dead skin cells from the top layer of your skin to help with skin cell regeneration in an attempt to help create a more smooth, even, bright, healthy, and luminous complexion. So why should you care about exfoliation? Well, as we age, our skin’s natural renewal process begins to slow and this leaves our skin acquiring extra hyperpigmentation, and uneven or rough texture – and we all know how large pores and fine lines make us feel… Also, are you struggling with MASKNE? Proper exfoliation will help you remove some/most of the dead skin that accumulated and traps pesky bacteria resulting in pimples, black heads, and the dreaded break out.
So where do we start with exfoliation? Well there are a few types, there is a physical exfoliator that utilizes gentle beads or texture to scrub the skin away, and then there are chemical exfoliants that essentially help to “eat” or “break down” the dead skin from the surface of your face. Personally, I am a big fan of using both in different manners, but for today we are going to talk about the chemical exfoliation approach by using the CLN&DRTY Freshly Peeled AHA Fruit Acid Peel.
Full disclosure, I am a brand ambassador for CLN&DRTY (you can use my discount code at the bottom of this post to save 10% on literally everything site-wide), and I was sent this product to try in exchange for an honest review – good, bad, or ugly. And I’m here to say that so far I have used this product four times, twice last week, and then twice this week, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it!
How do I use it!?
According to CLN&DRTY’s directions of use, you will begin your skin care process of washing with your favorite cleanser and gently patting the skin dry with your favorite soft and fluffy towel (I know it’s tough guys, but try not to go over board with rubbing or tugging at the skin, this will stretch the skin and advance the aging process more quickly). PS – nothing wrong with aging! 🙂
Okay, so back to the directions. Gently OT the skin dry with your favorite fluffy towel and apply a “generous amount” of the AHA Freshly Peeled Fruit Acid Peel to the face. “Generous amount” is a relative term, for me I like to use 3ish pumps, or one quarter sized dollop. When smoothing the product onto the skin, be sure to apply in an even layer and BE CAREFUL to avoid the eye area. Which area? Basically anything within the orbital bone because products formulated for the face are generally too potent for the eye area as the skin is much more fragile and thin in that area!
Alright, so we have it on the skin… now we wait. The directions advise roughly 10 minutes is the suggested amount of time to leave the peel on your skin, so take a few moments, meditate, scroll through the IG, whatever. Use your peel time for a little mental self care! While the product is processing, it is important to note there will be a tingle/warm sensation to the skin, this is the product activating and exfoliating the skin for you! IMPORTANT: If the product is causing excessive irritation or burning, please rinse immediately and discontinue use. This product is amazing but can be a little strong for those that are the most sensitive – I’m incredibly sensitive skinned, but I’ve had good luck! But again, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.
Alrighty, 10 minutes have gone by. You can leave on for a few more moments if you’d like, or you can rinse immediately with luke warm water and once again, pat dry with a gentle and fluffy towel after all product has been removed! Your skin will be a little pink/slightly red from the product development phase on the skin but don’t be alarmed (unless it again is excessive). Your skin will be BABY SMOOTH the next morning. Yassss!
Okay, finally… followup with your favorite skin care steps: tone, oil and serum your skin up, add eye cream and moisturizer. DO NOT USE AN ADDITIONAL EXFOLIATING PRODUCT, your skin will get over exfoliated and it can cause irritation. ALSO: Please, please, please do not use any exfoliator without proper moisturizer. Seriously, the steps are super easy for this exfoliator and you will love how your skin looks the next morning!
Now for the review: let’s measure things in terms of stars… cliché I know, but I think it’s important and I’m at a loss of a better measurement scale for the moment lol.
User Friendliness: 4.5/5 Stars – being someone with a lot of skincare background, I feel really good about self screening for signs of irritation considering my skin is so incredibly sensitive, however, because this peel is a fantastic and potent product, I can see how someone that has never had a professional chemical peel before or used a chemical exfoliant might have some anxiety about use and potential differences between a “tingle” and “burn,” especially if they are a hypochondriac such as myself. For this I just recommend monitoring your skin closely at first few uses and do 3 minute check ins to ensure you feel good through the process and until you get to know how it develops on the skin.
Potency: 5/5 stars – I have used nightly resurfacer a that I love, I’ve dabbled in a ton of physical exfoliators from just about every brand you can think of, and I’ve used a lot of the microdermabrasions and Express peels in the prestigious markets, and I do have to say the Freshly Peeled AHA Fruit Acid Peel has been my favorite thus far for an express option. After just 2 weeks, the pores in my cheek area are smaller and some of the fine lines where dead skin and makeup can settle are already less prominent so I DO believe it is working and the strength of the product is a welcome surprise! It was actually much stronger than I initially expected upon first use, so it was a pleasant surprise.
Price: 5/5 stars – This product (at the time of writing this blog post) is currently $60 for 1 ounce of product. I would honestly say this is quite on par with the average market price of many similar products in this category of the beauty market, and at a rate of 2-4 pumps per use, once or twice weekly, I would say this exfoliator could easily last you 4-6 months, maybe longer. That’s about $15 a month and trust me, if you can spend what… $11 a month on Netflix, you can splurge on some necessary skin care and it’s an awesome maintenance piece to incorporate with your current skincare regimen!
Overall Rating: 5 stars – Honestly, after two weeks of use I am loving this product and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a potent chemical exfoliant that is formulated with safe ingredients. Again, if you are incredibly sensitive I do recommend expressing caution just because it can be potent and isn’t for everyone based on your sensitives and allergies, so always consult the ingredients but truly, I say give this bottle of magic a try!
Okay, so we now know that I DO RECOMMEND this peel, where can you guys pick it up and how do you save on it? Well, be sure to head over the the CLN&DRTY website and search the Freshly Peeled AHA Fruit Acid Peel. At check out, be sure to use code “ASHLEYA10” to save 10% on everything (sale and full-priced) site-wide! This also works on their serums, moisturizers, and more! Not sure what else to pick up? Click the link to contact and we can find you some awesome supplemental products to work with what you’re currently using to enhance your results!