Thursday 16 March 2017

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution - first thoughts

So I purchased this and it arrived yesterday and I tried it last night - that is a very civilised explanation of a  frenzied "got to get my makeup off and get this stuff onto my face" which was coupled with a slight anxiety about whether my face would fall off in the process.

You see since the beginning of October really, my wimpy 50 year old skin has thrown in the towel and decided that it really cannot cope with cooler weather, I have had flaking red patches of skin on the base of my neck and on my eyelid, weirdly not bilateral nor on the same side, and my lips are permanently peeling and sore. Whilst I have always felt that my skin can be reactive, I would never have labelled it as sensitive, but everything that I put on it other than the heavy duty Avene Cold Cream left me itchy and red. I have every sympathy with those cursed with chronic sensitive skin - it really is the pits.

Thankfully it seems to have largely resolved although the peeling lips remain whatever I use, so I did apply this with trepidation.


The packaging describes this as "10-Minute Exfoliating Facial"  and The Ordinary advise that it is for regular acid users - ie don't go from never using any form of acid toner to using this one. And only leave on the skin for 10 minutes, no longer.

Now I have used acid toners, from Clarins, to Clinique, to Pixi Glow Tonic, to P60 (the "v" version) although I have lessened my use over the past few months. My skin is generally prone to redness and thread veins so again maybe contraindications but I didn't care, I was going in.


Interestingly it is a rich beetroot red. It seems ironic to me that one applies a beetroot red coloured product to one's face which may cause one's face to turn beetroot red - it is a bit like the Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm, which is a grimey grey/black shade, with the function of removing the grey/black grime of the day. Now neither of these products have anything in their ingredients list that I can see suggesting artificial colouring has been added but I don't know, happy coincidence or careful construction? Eitherway it is "interesting" shall we say? On further reading The Ordinary website states "This formula contains a studied Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use. This derivative is of plant origin and varies in colour seasonally and this colour variation may be apparent in the formula from time to time". So that explains its hue..


So what was the result of my gung-ho approach to my skincare yesterday evening. Well, it applies very easily although there are no instructions as to how much one applies. The texture is like a slightly oily serum, thicker that water, no real smell. And it does tingle, not sting or burn on my skin but yes a tingle. It is very difficult to describe the difference between the tingle of something doing something and the sting of something which your is not liking. This did not cause anything overt on application.

Whilst on the skin, apart from the tingle, there was no tightness and no uncomfortable "I need to get this off my skin now" feeling.

It removed easily with tepid water as directed. And what was the result? Well if I am honest there was no immediate difference in the appearance in my skin, nothing, my pores remained in all their glory, my blackheads were, well black, my thread veins remained. Okay, I thought, it is my first application, I have only spent £6.30. 

But, application of my other lotions and potions were, I don't know how to describe it, easier? And in the morning my skin seemed thinner, but in a good way, a sort of plumped out thin, if that makes sense, firmer maybe?

I don't know, it is a "watch this space" sort of product, at least my face didn't fall off.

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