Continuing our look at top selling products on Amazon.com…
Surprisingly, this fairly generic salicylic acid skin peel is rated at the 9th best selling beauty product on Amazon.com. Why does that surprise me? I woulnd’t have thought so many people are using such a strong peel on themselves. I would have guessed that the people who need such a strong treatment would be getting it through their dermatologist. Let’s look at the label to see what makes this peeler so powerful.
Salicylic Acid (20%)
A beta hydroxy acid that helps dissolve the “glue” that holds skin cells together so they slough off faster and more evenly. By exfoliating the top layer of skin you can expose “fresher” skin cells beneath. You can also burn the crap out of yourself so be careful!
Propylene Glycol, Denatured alcohol
Salicylic acid is not very soluble in water, so these solvents are added to allow for such a high concentration.
Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin
Thickeners
Laureth-7
Surfactant that helps keep the mixture homogenous.
Bonus fact: No preservative is needed because the product is waterless and the acid keeps the pH very low.
Image credit: Amazon.com
If you’re going to buy this product you can get rid of dead skin cells AND avoid being a dead beat by clicking the link below. A small portion goes to the Beauty Brains so by buying on Amazon.com you’re helping to support our blog. Thank you!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t think this is that strong of a peel. I regularly use PureDeming’s 40% lactic acid peel. It’s really not that hard to set a timer for 5 minutes and it’s way way cheaper than going to some overpriced Med Spa which can burn your face just as easily (go to RealSelf.com for some real horror stories).
BHA and lactic acid aren’t the same. A 20% bha product isn’t necessarily less “strong” than a 40% lactic peel because they work differently.
20% is indeed quite a lot as for salicylic acid, but with propylene glycol being befor alcohol at the label one can expect that this peeling is safer and gentler than peeling based on alcohol alone.
I believe it’s actually mostly used on the feet. WalMart sells a 20% SA just for helping make calluses peel.
Jami, this one is definitely for face (check on Amazon). Professional SA peelings are comonly used for acne-prone and oily skin and they are mostly alcohol based but sometimes SA is in polyethylene glycol (PEG) vehicle (or other kinds of glycols) which allows using higher % with less side effects.
SA based corn and callus removal liquids require diffrent vehicle or auxiliary ingredients – some sort of nitrocellulose or resin.