Everything You Need To Know About Facial Peels

Confused by what facial peels are? Do they dry on your skin like a thin layer of glue that you pull off your face? (No. Those are peel-off masks) Do they make your skin actually flake and peel off? (Sometimes. Depending on the strength of the peel.) Facial peels often have no visible peeling effect at all, which is why we’re here to unpuzzle your puzzlement with this ultimate guide. Here’s everything you need to know about facial peels:

WHAT DO FACIAL PEELS DO?

Peels are simply another form of exfoliation. They remove dead skin cells mainly through the use of acids which loosen the bonds between cells and dissolve dead skin away (SheKnows). Unlike scrubs, peel ingredients sink into the skin, targeting deeper layers of skin cells.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO THEY USE?

Acids are a common ingredient in facial peels. For natural peels like our VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels, we use fruit-sourced acids like Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) and Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA).

AHAs are mild, naturally occurring acids like glycolic, lactic and mandelic acids. A great choice for dry skin, AHAs exfoliate the skin surface while improving hydration.

BHAs are a little stronger and sink deeper into the pores to exfoliate and clean the pore walls. BHAs, like salicylic acid, are recommended for oily, problem skin.

Unlike our natural peels, strong chemical peels use more powerful acids that strip skin cells deeply, wound the skin and require downtime for recovery.

WHAT ARE FACIAL PEEL BENEFITS?

When you remove that dulling layer of dead skin cells with a facial peel, your skin benefits in multiple ways. Depending on the kind of peel you use, peels improve your skin tone, leave your skin feeling soft and smooth, and prime your skin for further stages of treatment. You may find that your skin looks radiant, brighter and more youthful.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES?

There are mainly three different types of peels:

1. Deep peels
As mentioned above, these are strong chemical peels which use acids like carbolic acid or trichloroacetic acid (TCA) in a painful process that penetrates deeply and causes a second degree burn on the face (WebMD).  Side effects from deep chemical peels include months-long recovery periods, the appearance of redness or burns, and the skin literally peeling or flaking away from the face.

2. Medium peels
A milder version of the deep peel which also uses TCAs, the medium peel still results in redness and a 5 to 7 day recovery period.

3. Light peels
The gentlest version of facial peels is effective without involving downtime. Light peels, like our VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels, don’t result in redness or require recovery. Also, our Exfoliating Peels do not need neutralization – you just apply, leave on, and see results! However, even with gentle peels, don’t forget that your skin will be more sensitive to the sun – use sunscreen, wear protective clothing and limit your sun exposure.

VitaSkin™ Exfoliating Peels come in 4 different types: Firm Skin Acai Exfoliating Peel, Bright Skin Licorice Root Exfoliating Peel, Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel and Clear Skin Willow Bark Exfoliating Peel.

This post was written by Karen Young Chester from Eminence Organics.
You can find their blog here