Exfoliating Question

[houseofdeeter]

Hi everyone!

I've browsed through the forum here and there (love the info I'm learning!) and I've seen several references to exfoliating with Gycolic Acid (spelled?) I was most interested with I saw a thread containing a "silly string" reference (TOTALLY LOVE THAT REFERENCE) and everyone was posting that she had clogged pores, and needed to exfoliate with GA.

Can a product with GA for exfoliating be purchased at a drugstore? I was at Target the other day, reading labels, and I couldn't find anything. Maybe I was looking at the wrong products? Does anyone have specific brands that they've used with great results. I find myself relating to the silly string visual more and more. I know I just need a good exfoliating, but I'm a newbie with this stuff. (Just turned 31, and all of a sudden I've gotten a kick in the behind that I need to take better care of my skin...it's not looking so young anymore - despite the fact that I have the same acne I had as a teenager. :laughno: )

Thanks for any info...I'm loving this board! I'm learning so much! :clap

 

[jen19]

First of all, I've really researched this and know alot about AHA products. You need a certain percentage of the acid for them to work well, and there has to be a proper ph level as well in the product. Fortunately, one of the best is also one of the cheapest! Look for Alpha Hydrox in the red box. They have a basic 10% glycolic acid solution in a moisturizer and an oil free lotion. About $10. U can find it at drugstores, walmart etc. I've been using it for a long time, with a few breaks here and there and I can tell you without a doubt that it works. The company has also come out with a few new cream/lotion products, but I haven't tried them yet.

I use it at night, after washing, sometimes I follow up with a moisturizer or eye cream but not always. It snot necessary unless your skin is so dry that it's uncomfortable. The glycolic acid will make your skin more sensiitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen, which you should be doing anyway.

Good luck!

 

[dolphin_gal]

I tried one of the OTC peels, L'Oreal ReNuviste, and it did absolutely nothing. The OTC peels I'm aware of only use 10% GA (glycolic acid), and they probably have a lot of unnecessary fillers and "stuff" in them making them even less effective. Do a search on this forum for "bioavailability" that Kim recently posted. It will give you an idea of what it is and also what to be aware of when purchasing AHA or BHA products.

You might try a 20 or 30% GA from MUAC or PH Advantage as a starter. A lot depends on what your skin's sensitivity is ... start with the lower % if you are sensitive.

Another thing is to look into salicylic acid, which is a BHA. It's supposed to be better for acne-prone skin because of how it works on the skin.

A lot of people here talked about using cleansers and toners with 2% salicylic acid in it. I could never find them in a drugstore until one day it dawned on me to look at products designed for acne - lol - I don't have acne so it never occurred to me. Learning took place.

 

[dngreenwood]

Hey House, I'm the "silly string" chica, lol!! I'm still having issues deciding on what to buy myself to help with my clogged pores, but I did get a sample of a DDF exfoliator with 10% Glycolic Acid and I loved it, but according to the website it is temporarily unavailable. I'm going to check Sephora and see if they have it.