Describe the brand in three words.
American. New (ish). Derms.
Who are they for?
All skin types. Suitable for sensitive.
What’s in them?
WATER (AQUA), SD ALCOHOL 40B (ALCOHOL DENAT.), MANDELIC ACID, ETHOXYDIGLYCOL, PHYTIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, SALICYLIC ACID, SODIUM HYALURONATE, ARGININE, VACCINIUM MYRTILLUS FRUIT/LEAF EXTRACT, SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM (SUGAR CANE) EXTRACT, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) FRUIT EXTRACT, CITRUS LIMON (LEMON) FRUIT EXTRACT, ACER SACCHARUM (SUGAR MAPLE) EXTRACT, AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE
What are the key acids?
Mandelic, Phytic, Lactic, Salicylic
What % are they?
Not specified
What PH?
3.37 – measured on a digital PH meter by me, not disclosed by the brand.
What skins are they best for?
Although it is labelled for everyone, I would definitely check this out if you were particularly oily/acne/combo.
How strong do they feel on the skin?
They feel really strong on application and are definitely stronger than most of the other pads I’ve used.
What’s not in them?
vinegar, witch hazel, parabens
Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
Alcohol, although as mentioned previously, when working with low PHs, you choose your vehicle. It will generally always be alcohol, vinegar or witch hazel.
Suitable for pregnancy?
Yes
Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?
Man made
Tested on animals in home country/EU/sold in territories that require testing?
No/No/No
How do they smell?
It’s not fragranced but you can smell the alcohol.
How do you use them?
‘Every other day, up to three times a week, apply to clean dry skin avoiding eyes and lips. Wait five minutes, then rinse with cool water.’
I tend to agree. I think they are too strong for every day use. And you know I like my acids. 🙂
I don’t rinse though, I spritz to neutralise, and I do take it over my brows and across my lips.
Best for winter or summer?
Either. You’re always going to use SPF when acid’ing, so it makes no odds.
How much are they? /Size/Approximate cost per usage?
£58.00 for 50. £1.16 a pad.
Works well with?
Any good anti-aging serum to follow.
What’s the website like?
Good. Loads of information, which annoyingly shows that they seem to have around 40+ products, but Space only carry a selection.
How’s the distribution? Available freely or limited?
SpaceNK in the UK, skinstore.com elsewhere.
What’s good about them?
I really like these. They give a really good exfoliation, skin is smooth, hydrated and brighter after use. The inclusion of mandelic is great, the industry needs to experiment with more than glycolic. Different acids obviously do different things and mandelic is an unsung hero, despite being frequently used in clinical peels. Unlike glycolic, mandelic causes no issues for darker skins and does not make you sun sensitive (although you must not forgo your SPF).
What’s not so good about them?
Nothing. I mean they’re not cheap, but in terms of the product and content, all good.
I know some of you are put off by the alcohol content but as I said above, you need a vehicle for the low pH, so you pick your battles.
Would I purchase/repurchase?
Yes.
Do you need them?
If you have acid issues (addiction) like me, yes. If you are on a budget, you can use cheaper acids.
If you don’t like glycolic or have particularly oily skin, it would be worth looking at these.
Similar products? (These are other acid pads for reference, but bear in mind that none of them are high in mandelic so although these are all great, and I recommend them all, the similarities are minimal)
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Glow Peel Pads
PTR ‘MAX’ Complexion Pads
PTR Un-Wrinke Pads
Dr Dennis Gross Extra Strength Peel Pads
DCL Multi Action Penta Peel are £58.00 from SpaceNK.com and $65.00 from Skinstore.com
Also available from DCLSkincare.com
