Glyco-Lac/60, Level 2 Gel Peel -30 ml/1 fl oz
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Customer Reviews of Glyco-Lac/60, Level 2 Gel Peel -30 ml/1 fl oz
Customer Review: Will use for the rest of my life
Summary: 5 Stars
After coming across this on Amazon in Nov 2009 I wanted to give it a try. My skin had a good amount of dark spots and scarring that became quickly noticable since this year is the first year I havn't gone tanning throughout the winter. I started tanning when i was 16 and will never go again and I am now 22.
Anyways, I break out occaisionally and had more of a problem with the tiny little break out guys that made my skin bumpy and just wouldnt go away. I had started getting microdermabrasion but i had found that it was making my skin feel smoother but not really having a effect on any scarring spots like i had wanted.
I started researching and read that peels do a good job resurfacing skin and diminishing any hyperpigmentation or acre scarring so I bought the Walgreens brand of a glycolic acid cream that is 12% strength and i love that for daily use but it is now discontinued :(
The cream was making me breakout much less but still not having much of an effect on the scarring and dark spots - and by this time i was the palest i've seen myself in years from not tanning anymore so it just was noticable to me
So i finally bought this peel, and for the first round of uses I used it 4 times, a week a part. I actually would experience some peeling, along my mouth and around my nose, plus it was winter so my skin was dry. It made my face look kind of beat up and red for a couple days, expecially around my mouth where i have the most darkening, but this is also the area that was peeling the most so it was good :).
I would leave it on for as long as i could stand it, probably at most 3-4 minutes, it stung my face kind of bad its like an annoying pain.
Im at the end of the second round of uses. I probably waited around 5 weeks before starting up again because i wasnt sure if I would go on spring break or anything and be in the sun, but i decided not to and keep staying out of the sun and go for another round.
This time I have been using for about 6 weeks, a week apart, and this time around it is really doing justice on my face. The texture of my skin is much much smoother, and the spots keep on lightening. It helps with my breakouts also, the small little guys never come and I will get a few here and there around my period or whatever.
I also wash my face with Olay's regenerist daily peel that has glycol in it also, and when it is on my face i have been rubbing in some cleanser with saclyric acid also, mine is Clinque's Emergency Mask, but I just use it to supplement my regular cleaser.
For moisturizer I have been using lately the past couple weeks, Ambi Fade Cream, that has sunblock and I think that has been really helping the spots along with the peel, the peel probably helps it sink in good.
Its getting close to summer now so I have to transition away from this peel and to things that arn't going to make my face sensitive. I will continue using the Ambi Fade Cream, Washing with the Clinique Mask, and start bringing in Walgreen's new cream, its a day cream that has all the right ingredients, some glycols but its a day cream so itll be ok to use as long as I wear sunblock all the time. For Sunblock i am using Aveeno Ageless Vitallity Spf 50, this is also supposed to work well with anti-aging, spots, ect.
I will however use this peel for the rest of my life every winter. My skin hasnt look so good since i was in highschool with its tone, color, and texture. It looks great! definatly use this product but only in the winter! If you use this product and at the same time go outside and tan you will probably do more damage then what could have been fixed.
Customer Review: Gentle, yet effective
Summary: 4 Stars
I am a cosmetologist, am fairly well trained in skin care, and have used several different peels in the past. This peel was gentle on my skin, though it definitely "tingled" while it was on my face. At first I actually thought it didn't work because my face wasn't red after, and I only experienced a mild flaking after a few days, but after 3 applications, my pores are noticably smaller, my skin looks brighter and fresher (which is saying something since it's winter and my skin generally looks very dull with all the dry air) and the majority of my black heads and blemishes are gone!
I originally decided to use the peel because as a 26 year old with moderate acne I have used virtually every skin care regimen and found them all to be very harsh and drying on my already dry skin. However, because this peel contains lactic acid as well as glycolic acid, it addresses not only my immediate problems with spots and blemishes, but also the underlying causes like enlarged pores, and overly dry skin.
Overall, this is a great product, but I'm only giving it 4 stars because this is very gentle for a stage 2 peel. I was expecting it to have a bit more "muscle" behind it to help facilitate the speedy fading of some older blemish scars.
Tips:
Be prepared to neutralize (I used the neutralizing pads from the Boots No. 7 glycolic peel system, baking soda + water works well but will be gritty so apply gently, or copious amounts of plain water- and I do mean copious)
Moisturize- have a gentle, non comodogenic moisturizer on hand (this means it wont clog those pores you just worked so hard on!)and make sure it isnt oily or greasy. The name for the oil that your skin produces is called sebum, and that's what gets blocked up to create pimples and black heads. Oil found in moisturizers can do the same thing.
Sunblock- Your skin will be more sensitive to sunlight. Even use it on overcast days because uv rays can reach through clouds even though light rays can't. You should be doing this already though to avoid skin cancer, wrinkles and age spots!
I know all these have been mentioned in other reviews, but they can't be stressed enough!
And people, this is an acid peel. It's not a toy. Use some common sense and don't use just before a big event or a special occasion. It's called a "peel" because it causes the top layer of your skin (the epidermis, made up of dead skin cells) to "peel" off and reveals the underlying layer (dermis, fresh, new skin cells) which is sensitive to begin with and has now been treated with a fairly harsh acid. You may (read: probably will) have red skin for a day or so and it may (read: probably will) be a bit tender.
Customer Review: Gentle and not too scary to use
Summary: 5 Stars
This was my first time buying (and using!) an at-home peel, and I have to admit that I was a bit scared when I used it for the first time two days ago. I purchased this one since it said that it is good for evening out skin tone and getting rid of wrinkles, which are my main concerns. The strength of this one is also supposed to be good for starting out. I use Retin-A on a nightly basis so my skin is used to exfoliation, but I didn't want to aggravate anything since I'm prone to redness and sensitivity. I'm hoping to build up to using a TCA peel in a few months, but everything I've read has said to build up to using a TCA peel by using gentler peels first.
The directions that come with this peel are excellent, and alleviated most of my nerves since they are so detailed and covered all of my questions. They call for using gauze pads to apply the peel in a light, circular manner, and that seemed to work well. Since this was my first time doing this, I only left it on for a minute and used a timer to time it. It didn't sting too badly, but I could definitely feel it working.
Since this is considered a lighter, "lunchtime" peel, it didn't cause any actual peeling or flaking. Instead, it got rid of some flakiness and dryness, and has left my skin really soft and hydrated-feeling, especially on my neck. There was no irritation afterwards. It's too soon to notice any difference in my wrinkles, but supposedly that takes a few more peels.
I also made sure to use some emu oil on my face and neck three times a day for two days to heal the skin. Also, be warned that you aren't supposed to use any foundation on your skin for 24 hours after peeling so that it can heal.
I'm planning on doing this once a week for the next six weeks since supposedly that is the schedule that will yield the best results. I will be sure to update my review as I go, but so far this is working great and has left a nice glow to my skin.
UPDATE ON 3/27/10: I've used this peel three times now, and it is really making a huge difference in the clarity and brightness of my skin! At the same time that I started using this, I also started using the Pretika cleansing brush, and the two together are making my skin brighter and my pores smaller. I've also been using the peel on my neck and hands, and the skin there is also becoming softer, too. I haven't noticed any peeling after using this, but am making sure to really moisturize well for a few days afterwards.
Customer Review: A peel one can use weekly for maintenance...
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this peel because I wanted something that might help to fade any small freckles/sun spots developing on my face, as well as fade small wrinkles near my eyes. I am Asian, with a medium-light complexion that is already fairly wrinkle and acne-free; but I was starting to see more melanin spots on my face developing, as I didn't start using sunscreen on my face daily until age 30 (I am now 35). However, my skin does tend to be oily in the T-zone, and I would still get an occasional pimple on my forehead or under my cheekbones on a regular basis.
After using this product, I noticed that my already scarce breakouts became practically non-existent, and though some of the small freckles on my upper cheeks haven't faded much, my skin does feel and look smoother and clearer. I don't use concealer, powder, or foundation (I can't stand the look and feel of it on my skin), and only use Shiseido SPF 55 for the face on a daily basis, but this seems to be all I need to still look pretty flawless, which I attribute to some of the peel's effects. I originally only used the 35% glycolic acid peel sold by the same company, but decided to try this lactic acid/glycolic acid combination to see if it would have a different or stronger effect (it does sting/tingle more than the 35% glycolic acid peel alone). I usually use this product every 7 days, and leave the solution on for a full 10 minutes (it stings and tingles, but this doesn't bother me much; leaving it on this long doesn't cause any "hot spots" on my skin, either, but my skin is pretty resistant to a lot of environmental insults). I also notice that small blackheads and sebaceous plugs in my forehead and nose will loosen easily and can be pushed or exfoliated out more easily after using this peel.
Overall, I think this is a good maintenance peel for those who want to slow (or possibly even reverse) the subtle signs of aging, i.e. development of melanin pigmentation from sun exposure, smoothing the surface of the epidermis, possibly neutralizing fine lines, and decreasing acne. I will likely continue using this product, until I become adventurous enough to perhaps try something different and stronger (i.e. a 70% Lactic Acid peel). The price is right, too, and won't cost you the overhead you might pay for having the same type of peel done at a medi-spa.
Customer Review: Results probably depend on your skin sensitivity...
Summary: 3 Stars
I have mostly oily skin, so really no wrinkles as I've had a "natural" moisturizer my whole life. I'm 35 and while my skin isn't wrinkled, I've noticed some age spot/discoloration to my forehead and nose in the past 2 years. It's not super dark but pretty bothersome for me. I've also noticed my cheeks seeming a bit reddish in the past year so wanted something mainly to even out my skin tone. I also read that this product could help with some blackheads that I've always had on my nose. I tried this product out, first on the back of my hand and a small patch on my arm and right away noticed I didn't feel any sting. Which I figured was good but also made me question whether or not it would work for me. After a few days, I saw no reaction, adverse or otherwise, so I did a whole face application. This time, I did feel some slight stinging but nothing unbearable. I should note that I don't consider my skin to be sensitive and so wasn't really surprised by this. Because of the lack of stinging, I kept it on for about 5 mins. I saw no results after this 1st app, so I went ahead and a few days later did a 2nd app - it felt about the same but this time I kept it on longer - maybe 7 mins. Still no real results. I did see a tiny bit of peeling around the crease of my nose, but that's it. My 3rd app I decided to keep on for the max of 10 mins and even did my chest area, as it's seen some sun over the years too. Again, same feeling but no real results, EXCEPT that I seemed to be getting acne, AKA, whiteheads, on my chin and lower cheeks. NOT what I was hoping for, as far as results! In the end, I believe this product will possibly work for someone with skin not as "tough" as mine, if that makes sense. I didn't love the pimples I got after using this but they weren't terrible. That was the worst side effect so I can't really say too many bad things about this product. In the end, I think I may need a stronger peel to see results.
Just to note, I found the product to feel good going on, as in, it's consistency is smooth and easy to apply and noticed no real scent. This bottle would last me a long time if I continue to use it. For now, I think I might try the HQ or some other level 3 peel from this company.