I shared on instagram some of the best at home chemical peels for hyperpigmentation. I got so much feedback afterwards and so many of you were interested in doing an at home chemical peel as well but had no idea on where to start. Today I am so excited to share my comprehensive guide to the best at home chemical peels for hyperpigmentation!
When Harrison was an infant I was really struggling with my skin, mainly hyperpigmentation. Around that time my sister told me about a friend of hers that was using chemical peels for hyperpigmentation and I was so intrigued but also couldn’t take the plunge to do it myself. I had done one chemical peel before getting pregnant at a Medspa and remember being terrified of chemical peels! The one I did- I know now was very mild or what they would call a superficial/light peel. It burned when she first applied it but there was no downtime and no actual peeling.
Given that I was so terrified for a light peel, the thought of doing one at home was too much. Then as the years went on and the more babies I had, my skin was in desperate need of better skincare.
Insert the beginning of my love for chemical peels. I started using them and have never looked back. They give an instant refresh to your skin and it is certainly a spot in your skincare routine where you can save some money!
There are varying degrees of peels. They range from super super light in the form of a pad that you can use nightly to a deep dermal layer peel. The more severe peels, you are not able to buy off of the internet. Those require a physician and most of the time some pain management. While you are able to buy less intense peels online- it is always imperative to start slow, do a patch test and always follow the instructions.
Today, I wanted to share my favorite chemical peels with you while answering the questions I have gotten from my instagram!
lighter peels
First up are the lighter peels. Often times you will hear these referred to as a superficial or a lunchtime peel. They are your lower concentration glycolics, lactics, alpha-hydroxy etc. These are the best ones to start out with. Some are even just pads that you can use nightly! My favorites in this category are:
The Ordinary is one of my favorite places for skincare! I use their Vitamin C, Retinoid and many of their direct acids! One thing about this brand though is do not buy it from Amazon! It is sometimes 3x more the price there! Ulta and Sephora both carry it if you don’t want to shop their website directly. Their website has SO much information on each product so I certainly wouldn’t skip over it.
The AHA 30%+BHA 2% peel from The Ordinary has become very popular on Instagram recently. I have been using it for years and I love to apply it after an at home dermaplane. However, I wouldn’t suggest that for your first go around! It does burn when applied and the bright red serum gives you quite the look for the 10 minutes you have it on. It gives the skin such a fresh look after and the best part is this is a pretty direct dupe for the the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial. This can be used once a week and work up to twice a week.
The Lactic Acid 10% from The Ordinary is a great exfoliator. It says on the directions that it can be applied nightly but I watched a video of an employee that mentioned you should only use it once or twice a week as a peel. I personally think it could be used nightly. There are much stronger concentrations out there that I would consider a peel. However, for the price point and the lower % it would be a great direct acid to start with.
The Lactic acid 40% peel from Makeup Artists choice has all of the benefits of the 10% but this is one that would lend more to the once a week application!
These Glycolix pads are a staple for me. I also just noticed that they have almost a 5 star rating among 1,840 reviews on Amazon! The recommended usage is 1-2 days daily however, I am not able to use them morning and night. I will just use them at night. Sometimes in the summer if I have been out in the sun too much (I know what an oxymoron given the topic of this post), I can only use them a couple of times a week. These are great to even out your skin tone and texture. Again, another great exfoliator. While exfoliating seems so redundant here, acids are great way to exfoliate without causing damage to your skin. Really for the price, these can’t be beat. These really are some of the best at home chemical peels for hyperpigmentation that you can use on a daily basis.
If you are wanting to amp up the Glycolix pads a touch, the Dr Gross daily peels pads are a more robust daily peel pad. They have a more involved main ingredient list of 5 Alpha Beta acids, chamomile, retinal and green tea extract. This is a great product if you want to simplify a night time routine. While they are pricier, they do eliminate some additional steps often used at night.
medium/medium-deep peels
Next up are the Medium/Medium-Deep peels. These are the ones that you use when you’ve tolerated lighter peels and ready for a little bit more action. Some of the medium peels will make your skin actually peel with more than 1 pass or layer and some will take a higher concentration. Some of my favorites in this category are:
The degree of strength in this category is kind of fluid. You can use one pass of TCA 12.5% and not peel but could do 3 passes and peel. This is when you have to listen to your skin, read all of the information available on the product and kind of take it one pass at a time on each one.
The 12.5% TCA Peel is a good intro into medium peels. TCA peels can help with fine lines, hyperpigmentation, melasma and acne scars. The lower concentrations are more for hyperpigmentation and the higher concentration (20%) treat more signs of aging such as fine lines or scars. While the higher concentrations treat different signs of aging, it is still best to start with the 12.5% and let your skin work its way up to the higher concentrations. These TCA Peels are not self neutralizing. However, it comes with the solution that you put on as the last step and isn’t as scary as it seems. This website is a wealth of information and where everyone should start reading and learning! The TCA 12.5% is the very first peel I did at home and I combed through every page on their website. Make sure to take note of the allergies that they mention as well.
The Obagi Blue Brilliance is one of the two higher end peels that I have on here. While the price is high for both the Obaji and the SkinMedica, it is for multiple applications and a fraction of the price you would pay in an office. The SkinMedica Vitalize peel has improved the skin on my chest so much. It is the area that I always burned summer after summer, tanning bed after tanning bed (omg) and to liken it to leather would be generous. The results are amazing! Hands down my favorite. I do use this in the winter because it is the most intense. These are good to use if you have been using Retin-A or have regularly used some of the gentler direct acids. It is worth mentioning that the SkinMedica peel comes from one of their unauthorized retailers, however, I still have had great results. From the results that I have had, I can say that this is the definitely one of the best at home chemical peels for hyperpigmentation.
I have not used the TCX Peel but it immediately went into my cart! I will report back my findings!
after care
Lastly, all of the accoutrements. After I do a medium- medium deep peel I always use Egyptian Magic for the first couple of days. Its a very gentle moisturizer and there is zero chemicals in it which is imperative as your skin is healing! I’ve Included my favorite drug store sunscreen and the tinted SPF I will sometimes use as just my makeup for the day. After the skin has started to heal, I use this gentle cleanser and pair it with this moisturizer. A dermatologist recommended this duo to me and I really love it. When applying the peel, its important to use gauze. I have used cotton rounds in the past and I found that the product becomes too saturated in the pad and I don’t get as much on my skin.
I can’t wait to try more at home chemical peels for hyperpigmentation and dark spots and share them with y’all! Come tell me what products you’ve tried on my instagram and check out all of my other beauty and style posts here.
*AmyBenken.com is intended for educational and informative purposes only and are not intended to serve as medical or professional advice. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting any skincare routine*
