Doing your own peeling is possible and easy thanks to the new cosmetic formulas. It is especially important to choose the assets according to your skin type. Answers to questions we ask ourselves about homemade peels.
Whether called peeling, peel or AHA, these treatments allow you to find in a few weeks a uniform complexion, radiance and, in the longer term (more than 3 months), a smoothed skin. A few years ago, these products had to be rinsed out or “buffered” with a second treatment which restored the correct pH to the skin. Today, these peels have softer formulas, with innovative galenics and are much easier to use. Advice before you start.
Homemade peels: what’s in it?
They are based on the same active ingredients as dermatological peels, but at lower concentrations. These are fruit acids: AHAs (alpha-hydro xy-acids), for a facelift, BHAs (beta-hydroxy-acids), for deep cleansing, or PHA (poly-hydroxy-acids ), more hydrating than AHAs and antioxidants.
Is it for all skin types?
By choosing the right concentration and adapting their use, these treatments are suitable for most skin types. With the exception of very sensitive skin with redness, or suffering from rosacea, as well as dark phototypes which risk an inflammatory reaction and hyper-pigmentation. But beware: as they are photosensitizers, it is better to apply them in the evening. If it is a formula to be put in the morning, it must be combined with an anti-UV cream SPF 50 for the duration of the treatment.
How to use a homemade peel?
“For a cosmetic peel, we recommend a course of one to two months, once or twice a year, after summer and winter. Starting with a low-dose treatment, and increasing the concentration as you go. and as. A certain number of women even use these treatments throughout the year, taking a break during the summer. Because it should be remembered that these products are photosensitizers and should therefore not be applied when you are exposed to the sun, ”explains Audrey Talayrach.
How do they work?
Initially, these molecules work by weakening the bonds between the cells of the stratum corneum, thus leading to the desquamation of the dead cells, which has the effect of unclogging the pores and smoothing the skin.
“This also causes stimulation of renewal enzymes, by lowering the pH of the skin below 4 (knowing that the physiological pH is 5.5)”, explains Audrey Talayrach, general manager of the Eneomey laboratory.
“Glycolic acid (AHA) is the most common and the most effective because, with its small molecule, it has a stronger penetration into the skin. Over the course of the applications, it sends regenerative messages from the epidermis to the skin. ‘in the dermis, and boosts the production of collagen, elastin and dermal matrix, “she adds. Lactic acid (AHA) is rather chosen for the radiance, because it stays on the surface.
Salicylic acid (BHA) acts on the seborrhea of oily and blemish-prone skin.
Are homemade peels well supported on the skin?
Yes, but they can still cause concerns of intolerance because, as their name suggests, they are acidic. This is why some brands prefer to use PHAs, such as gluconolactone or lactobionic acid. “They penetrate less quickly, but are also antioxidants and more hydrating than glycolic acid, and not photosensitizing”, describes Charlotte de Reals, marketing director of the NeoStrata brand. Better tolerated, they can thus be applied all year round.
