The exfoliating acids that you can buy over the counter are weaker versions of the same substances used for peels and resurfacing treatments at dermatologist offices and med spas. Following the general recommendations of dermatologists we interviewed for this guide, the products our panelists tested maxed out at 12% concentrations; the derms largely suggested that higher-concentration acids only be used under the supervision of a professional.
That said, browse the aisles at Sephora or click around retail sites, and you’ll encounter plenty of options that contain even more than 30% acid. Intrigued, I tried a handful of them and was genuinely astounded by the vast difference in how to use them, as well as how my skin felt after application.
Influencers love arresting imagery, and with their drippy, dark burgundy drops, both Zombie Beauty Bloody Peel and The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution deliver. The Bloody Peel contains 17% glycolic acid, as well as hits of salicylic acid and gluconolactone. It stings as it goes on, and the sensation only intensifies for the 60 seconds it’s meant to sit on skin. Every time I tried this, the burn seemed to linger even after thoroughly rinsing, and it left my skin feeling tight and hot, and looking ruddy around the folds of my nose.
The Ordinary peeling solution, meanwhile, contains 32% acid—a mix of glycolic, salicylic, lactic, tartaric, and citrus—but it actually felt milder than the 17% Zombie peel. That’s not to say it was a pleasant experience: It smells like stale wine, and it definitely tingles a lot during the 10-minute hang time. Post-rinse, my skin tended to feel raw and inflamed, if slightly smoother. All things considered, I don’t recommend these two peels. Beyond their excessive sting and time-sensitive need to rinse, they’re also just too gimmicky—as though made for social media, or a tweenager’s slumber party (at about $9 for the Bloody Peel and $10 for The Ordinary solution, they are comfortably within a tween’s beauty budget).
In contrast, I was truly impressed with the pearlier, creamier high-test exfoliating options. For instance, I was shocked at how smooth and nonreactive the Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial felt, despite its blend of 25% AHAs and 2% salicylic acid. With a thick, slightly gritty texture (it contains chickpea flour) and a faintly sweet aroma, the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial was so mellow, I forgot to rinse it after the recommended 20 minutes max. (I soon learned to set my phone’s timer.) Whenever I rinsed it off—be it after 15 minutes or 30—my face always felt refreshed and velvety soft, and it looked markedly rosy but not ruddy.
While Paula’s Choice 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel imparted a similar radiance, there was no forgetting when it was on my face: A mix of glycolic, lactic, mandelic, and salicylic acids, this pearlescent lilac serum appears shiny on my skin and feels tacky for the 10 minutes it sits before rinsing. Still, I loved that after rinsing, my complexion felt buffed and cool to the touch.
Perhaps I was most surprised by L’Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel. Inside the ugly teal bottle and beneath the protuberant plastic nozzle is a sheer, Shamrock Shake–hued lotion boosted by a 25% concentration of AHAs (glycolic, lactic, and mandelic acids), BHA (salicylic acid), and, for good measure, a PHA (gluconolactone). As mighty as that mix sounds, my skin didn’t feel at all touchy or tingly as the peel did its thing for 15 minutes. The results were on par with Drunk Elephant’s Babyfacial—my skin felt petal-soft and looked glowy—and as a bonus, both my husband and daughter remarked on the pleasant scent after hugging me.
