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Using My Glycolic, Lactic or Salicylic Acid Set
Our fabulous little sets are a great way to introduce yourself to the amazing skin benefits of acid exfoliation as they give you the correct cleanser and toner to use before your acid, which is very important to get the best results, you don't want to use a cleanser with acids, strong active ingredients or exfoliators.
The acids come with full instructions and explain how to cleanse, tone and use the acid but to add a little more clarity -
Cleanse
I'd recommend you use your acids in the evening. To start, you'd use your sample of first cleanse oil, about a 5-10 pence piece depending on if you're wearing make-up, massage in to dry skin for roughly 30 seconds, apply a little water which will turn your cleanser milky and rinse, do not use a face flannel, cottons pads or a cleansing brush, nothing that will drag the skin. Then pat (DO NOT RUB) your skin dry. Double cleansing in the evening is very important so repeat the process once more. Be sure that no water enters the bottle of cleanser.
I recommend keeping this cleanser for use only before using your acids, you'll run out quite quickly if used daily.
Prepare the skin for your chemical peel
Using the acid based toner instantly lowers the PH of your skin after cleansing, this will give you the best results from your acid. Put a cotton or reusable pad (the flat pads, not cotton wool) directly on to the neck of the bottle and tilt, move the pad around and do this roughly 5 times, there should be enough toner. Gently wipe all over your face and neck, leave to dry.
If your skin is sensitive then this step may be too much for your skin, in that case use your toner on the days that you aren't using your acid.
You are now ready to use your acid, following the instructions that were included.
Which set should I choose for my skin?
Oily, problem skin - Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid is such an amazing ingredient and quite unique in how it works. It's used in many over the counter products designed for spots, breakouts, blackheads and oily skin. Salicylic acid is oil soluble, which means that when applied it works within the pore, with regular use the dirt, dead skin, bacteria and oil causing the blockage will reduce, the pore will reduce in size and the oil that was once blocked will be able to flow through the pore, this is important as our skin's natural oil (sebum) keeps our skin nourished, healthy and supple. Clean pores lead to clearer looking skin.
Salicylic also works pretty quickly, when applied in the evening it should give some great results by the time you wake up next morning. Most people notice a reduction in the size and redness of a breakout quite quickly when using salicylic acid.
Neutral (normal) skin, ageing skin, blemishes Glycolic Acid. Glycolic acid quite simply is a powerhouse ingredient, suitable for both problem skin and ageing skin. Glycolic acid is also known as an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), it has the smallest molecules of all the AHA’s which means that it’s able to penetrate a little deeper in to the skin. Due to its excellent capability to penetrate skin, glycolic acid can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles, discolouration and hyperpigmentation, breakouts and flaky, dry skin.
Dry, sensitive skin Lactic Acid. Lactic acid is a milder exfoliator, it's also a humectant which means it helps the skin to retain moisture, resulting in a plumped up appearance and a beautiful, healthy glow. Lactic Acid is the best choice if you suffer with dry or dehydrated skin.
You can use one of the chemical peels or all 3 to get the unique benefits of each acid.
Are you using more than one acid?
If you have our glycolic acid and salicylic acid for example then there are 2 ways to do this.
Alternate every other day - If you're applying the acids all over then leave at least a day break inbetween using each acid, if your skin is sensitive then you may need to leave longer than a day.
Spot treat - If you only have a few spots you could use the salicylic acid directly on to the spots and then the glycolic acid or lactic acid on the rest of your skin, that means you can use both products on the same evening, just try and avoid overlapping the products.
How often should I clean the brush?
I recommend cleaning your brush after each use. Use a little hand soap to wash the brush, rinse thoroughly and then dry with the brush pointing down, this is how you should dry all brushes, when drying brushes upright there is a chance that water can travel within the brush ferrule (the metal portion of the brush that sits between the brush hair and the handle), if water gets within the ferrule it can break down the glue causing the bristles to fall out, so always leave your brushes to dry while pointing downwards.
What's the difference between the brushes?
Just the colour, they all perform the same, we just like to offer different products to suit your personal choice.
Can I use a different cleanser before the acid?
Yes, you don't have to use our first cleanse oil but the cleanser you use must be a gentle cleanser with no exfoliators or high active ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, retinol, Vitamin C and it must be a cleanser that fully rinses away, a cleanser that needs removing with a cloth would not be suitable.
Can I use a different toner?
I don't recommend using any other toner apart from our revitalising ginseng toner, including any from our range. If you run out of toner or simply don't want to use a toner before the acid, just apply to fully cleansed, dry skin.
I love the cleanser and toner, can I buy them separately?
Yes! You can buy the full size, or sample sizes. You can see our cleansers HERE and toners HERE.
I hope that helps? If you have any more questions, please feel free to get in touch.
Amanda