Salicylic Acid Serum : How to get best results from this home peel?

Chemical exfoliators have started to replace physical exfoliation which simply means to scrub the skin. And leading the list of chemical exfoliators is salicylic acid.

What is a salicylic acid serum good for?

Salicylic acid is easily the best chemical exfoliator for oily, acne prone skin types. For Indian skin types, salicylic acid is proven to reduce sebum, increase skin clarity, and reduce pore size. 

How does a salicylic acid serum work?

In a chemical exfoliator, salicylic acid gently releases the bonds between the superficial, dead skin cells, which causes these cells to loosen and fall off, aka, exfoliation. Since the superficial cells often contain a lot of retained pigment, exfoliating these cells, causes the skin to look bright and clear, right after a session of salicylic acid peel application. 

Considering the results are immediate, is it okay to use a salicylic acid serum everyday? 

Using a salicylic acid serum on a daily basis, depends entirely on the choice of the product. For example, you can definitely use the daily chemical peel, Light Routine® Easy, everyday. On the other hand, a more stronger and deeper exfoliator, like the Light Routine® Gentle Waterless, is best used once a week.

What are the benefits of using a salicylic acid serum everyday?

Pollution is one of the top reasons for skin pigmentation and comedonal acne, in the present day. Using a chemical exfoliator containing salicylic acid reduces the pollution induced damage at the skin surface, exfoliates these pigment, laden skin surface cells, to reveal brighter skin beneath. What’s even better is that, the regular use of chemical exfoliation promotes collagen stimulation, which counters the collagen depletion caused by pollution. When used in combination with collagen supplements like the TOR™ Collagen series, and promoters of hyaluronic acid synthesis like White Pine® Pycnogenol®, salicylic acid works great to holistically protect the skin from the ill effects of pollution.

Which is better niacinamide or salicylic acid?

If you are looking for instant benefits, salicylic acid is one of the fastest acting skin care products. When combining with agents like niacinamide, it is best to use a short contact salicylic acid like Light Routine® Gentle Waterless first, and then use the niacinamide after appropriate post care. Always, use a sunscreen when working on your skin care and complexion with salicylic acid.

How to select the best salicylic acid serum?

Salicylic acid works best when is it used in a peel format. It is not advisable to use salicylic acid in products which have prolonged contact like toners and overnight serums. The best way to use salicylic acid is in a short contact format, like the Light Routine® Gentle, where the action of the salicylic acid is completed within 60 seconds. It is also useful to a salicylic acid facewash which, again, is a short contact product. 

It is very important to note that if you are using more than one salicylic acid product in your skin care routine, you will need to check if they are compatible with each other, within the routine. For example, it is acceptable to use the Light Routine® Gentle on a weekly basis, and the Light Routine® Easy on a daily basis for 5 days a week, skipping the day on Light Routine® Gentle use and the day after. However, we do not recommend using a salicylic acid facewash to wash off the peel, rather the recommended facewash is a gentle cleanser like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. 

How to use salicylic acid serum on the face?

Salicylic acid peel serums are very different between different brands, so it is very important to use your specific product as per the instructions given on the package. 

At CHOSEN®, there are 4 salicylic acid peel products, Light Routine® Gentle, Light Routine® Gentle Waterless, Light Routine® Easy and Light Routine® Purple, available for over the counter use. The instructions and usage details can be accessed here, or in the individual product pages.

Is Light Routine® Range the best salicylic acid for oily skin?

Undoubtedly. The idea of having a range of salicylic acid peels is to allow the user to pick the salicylic acid product that is most suited to them. Light Routine® Easy is a great beginner salicylic acid home peel, and is best suited for washing off daily pollution related skin damage and product residues. Light Routine® Gentle and Gentle Waterless are more suited for those DIYers working on active acne and acne marks. Light Routine® Purple works best for those who have extremely oily and sebaceous, dull skin where the product picks out excess sebum from the skin, while simultaneously declogging the skin through exfoliation.

When is the best time to start a salicylic acid serum?

Salicylic acid serums can be considered to be beginner DIY skin care. You can safely start yourself on the best beginner friendly salicylic acid at CHOSEN®, Light Routine® Easy. You can then slowly move up to Light Routine® Gentle for weekly exfoliation, or Light Routine Gentle Waterless, if you have sensitive skin and want to avoid preservatives. Instead of Gentle, you can consider using Light Routine® Purple for extremely oily skin. The wide range of choices is to help you make your own unique routine. And it is this customer selective approach, that makes Light Routine® series, the best salicylic acid peel in India.

To create your own skin care routine from CHOSEN’s range of high performance skin care products and DIY options, please check out the protocols here.

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- 6 best chemical peels from CHOSEN Store