Step Up Your At-Home Peeling Game

By Gwen De La Costa, Medical Aesthetician

We are about 3 weeks into our quarantine life now, or is it 4 weeks? Who’s counting anyways. You are all probably missing your facials in the Glow Room and we miss seeing you! 

We’ve received many inquiries about ways to mimic the benefits of peels at home. I have created a few options you could consider to boost your at-home exfoliation routine. One of the things that I want to encourage everyone to keep in mind is, “too much of a good thing can be BAD”. Exfoliation is a great way to promote cellular turnover and to gently eliminate superficial dead skin cells revealing a fresh glow. However, overdoing it can leave your skin feeling irritated, red and itchy. Some people can use retinol every night and others can only push it to 2-3 times a week. Listen to your skin; if it is irritated, scale back on usage. Less is more! 

Here are a few ways to up your exfoliation game at home safely. All of these should be done at night only and for a single week only. You can repeat monthly.

For oily/acne-prone skin

1. Start by cleansing using the SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating scrub, applying mild pressure.
2. Follow by mixing the Clarifying Clay Masque with 3 drops of Blemish & Age Defence (alternative: a few drops of LHA Toner). Apply a generous layer on the skin and leave on for 20 minutes. Remove carefully with a warm towel. Repeat this masque 1-2 times/week.
3. If you are a seasoned retinol user and feel that your skin can handle a little boost, go ahead and apply Retinol* in the evening for 3 nights in a row. Take a one-night break using your simple moisturizer – Daily Moisture is a great choice for oily/acne-prone skin. Resume the retinol again the following 3 nights. 

Note: It is wise to ensure you have the proper healing products in the event you go a little too far. If your skin feels sensitive the next day, step back on the Retinol and do 2 nights/week of Phyto Corrective Masque. The Phyto Corrective Gel is also good to have on hand to calm inflammation and soothe the skin; it could be used twice a day. 

For normal/combination skin

1. Step up your cleansing action using the LHA Cleanser and cleansing for 2 minutes using circular motion. Follow with the LHA Toner using a cotton round. 
2. Apply a pea-size amount of the Retinol* for 5 nights in a row. 
3. Apply your exfoliant-free moisturizer on top of the retinol every other night. Leave moisturizer-free the other nights.

Note: It is wise to ensure you have the proper healing products in the event you go a little too far. If your skin feels sensitive the next day, step back on the Retinol and do 2 nights/week of Phyto Corrective Masque. Leave the masque on the skin overnight for optimal repair. The Phyto Corrective Gel is also good to have on hand to calm inflammation and soothe the skin; it could be used twice a day.

For dry skin

1. Cleanse by mixing a pump of Gentle Cleanser and a pea-size amount of Micro-Exfoliating scrub. Apply mild pressure and cleanse in circular motions.
2. Apply a dropper full of Retexturing Activator, both morning and night. Follow with your moisturizer. 
3. Apply a pea-size amount of Retinol 0.3* for 3 consecutive nights. Apply Triple Lipid Repair immediately after.  

*PRO TIP: If you have never used Retinol before, start with the 0.3 concentration. Move up to the 0.5 once you complete a full tube. Retinol should be applied at night only and ideally left alone for 20 minutes to ensure proper penetration and action. If done this way, it will feel a lot stronger and cause peeling. Alternatively, you could apply Daily Moisture immediately after to tame the action a bit.

Like with any exfoliation procedure, I want to remind you of the importance of sun protection. Your skin will be left more sensitive than usual and therefore more prone to inflammation and sun damage. Even when staying home, use your mineral-based sunscreen to avoid any harm (remember that UVA rays cross windows). 

Remember that these are just suggestions, you know your skin better than anyone else. If you feel unsure or would like to discuss any of these further, contact us to organize a free virtual consultation at info@projectskinmd.com. 

I miss you all and cannot wait to get back into the clinic and see all of you! 

Stay safe and healthy.