Glycolic, Salicylic .. it can be kind of confusing when it comes to facials and what a procedure does and why and how. So I figured I would delve into this topic more when I was invited to meet with dermatologist Dr. Susan Evans of the Skincare Physicians of Beverly Hills for a treatment. Doing my due diligence and reading up on her, I see she has a lot going on! She has appeared on many TV shows like GMA, Oprah, the Dr. Oz show and just put out her second line of skin care products.  

She performs pretty much every kind of treatment in her office like, peels, laser, fillers and more. Not really knowing much about each, she decided on the Glycolic Peel. So what is that? It’s a concoction that is painted on the skin to help stimulate collagen growth, which are the building blocks of the skin and we lose it as we age. Most peels you will find in a store will be max 10% and the strength I had applied was 30%, which can only be administered in a doctor’s office.

The Glycolic Acid is left on the skin for 2 minutes max (remember poor Samantha Jones had a peel and her face was all red and she had to attend a party? Yeah, I asked Dr. Evans about this and she said she left it on much too long), and while it was on, it tingled here and there and I really had to fight the urge to itch but before I knew it, the 2 minutes was up. A peel is effective only every 30 days and I’m due to see her again next week for another but it will be a slightly stronger strength and I’ll keep you posted on any new developments.

As I mentioned above, she just put out a 10-piece product line, the Papaya Renewal Collection, based on papaya fruit extract, which is known for its superior exfoliation properties. I’ve been using the Papaya Renewal AHA Cleanser ($22.98/5oz), the Skin Refining Scrub ($19.98/3.4oz) and her Papaya Renewal Enzymatic Lift Serum ($29.98/1oz) and my face really feels clean clean, not tight clean after I use them. I’m sure using these after my first peel helps with the continued struggle to make my skin look its best. All @ drsusan90210.com.

Can’t afford a derm visit right now but want to get on the glycolic bandwagon? Here are two you may want to add to your skin care regimen:

CANE + AUSTIN Retexture Pads 10% Glycolic for Face – swipe one of these pads across the skin up to twice a day to help with all things aging. The glycolic acid is derived from natural sugar cane (that’s what the cane in the name stands for!). $60/30 day supply, $110/60 day supply @ sephora.com.

ADVANCED HOME ACTIVES Brazilian Peel – this is the first ever professional strength peel of 30% glycolic acid and this one also contains Açai, an anti-oxidant from Brazil. While I have not tried this one yet (you can only use a peel every 30-days and I’ve been under Dr. Evan’s care), it has received glowing reviews in two major magazines I’ve read lately so I wanted to let you know about it in case you were up for trying it out. $78/4 applicators @ advancedhomeactives.com.