Green Peel: What You Need to Know

Pros

• It’s so gentle that your practitioner won’t even need to wear gloves.
• People who don’t have sensitivity issues say the treatment is a relaxing facial that leaves their skin glowing. 

Cons

• Because it’s gentle, you might need multiple Green Peel treatments to achieve your desired results. 
• No independent clinical studies vouch for the efficacy or safety of this treatment. 
• Among RealSelf members, satisfaction is mixed, with only 62% saying it’s “Worth It.”  
• Natural products can still cause allergic reactions or skin sensitivity. People with sensitive, acne-prone, or dark skin types seem to have the most post-peel issues, and some RealSelf members report pain, burning, itching, an increase in breakouts, or hyperpigmentation.

According to the brand, this herbal peel should not be applied if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking antibiotics or if you have sensitive skin, rosacea, eczema, or psoriasis. 

If you’re allergic to any of its herbal ingredients (pansy, horsetail, ribwort, marigold, aloe vera, lungwort, German chamomile, and spirulina), you could have an adverse reaction to the Green Peel.

Glycolic acids and retinoids such as Retin-A make your skin too sensitive to have a Green Peel. Providers recommended that you stop applying these topical products a month before your appointment; longer, if you’re on an isotretinoin regimen. 

“I got a Green Peel yesterday. It doesn't hurt, but it kinda feels like a cactus or mini static shocks for 24 hours. Not bad though!”—jilldp2015, RealSelf member

Before your treatment begins, you’ll have a thorough consultation to determine which Green Peel herbal treatment best aligns with your skin concerns and goals. 

Then your aesthetician will cleanse and tone your skin and perform an in-depth analysis to determine your skin’s tolerance and reactivity. The next step is to prep your skin with the brand’s proprietary gel purifier and tone once again. Then it’s time to apply the peel. 

Your aesthetician massages the herbal preparation into your skin for about 10 minutes (12 minutes on other parts of the body). This can feel like rough sand rubbing your face. Then your face is covered with a Green Peel concentrate cloth, to let your skin absorb the active ingredients. 

After 20 minutes, the peel is wiped off and a rich Green Peel cream, sunscreen, and Blemish Balm are applied.

You’ll leave with Green Peel home-care products, which you should use instead of your typical beauty routine. For best results, don’t wash or wet your face for at least two days, because it can affect the absorption of the herbal microparticles. 

You may have some redness and sensitivity for a few days after your treatment, much like a sunburn. Some people also report swelling. 

You won’t have skin flaking after a Fresh Up or Energy peel. With Classic, the peeling effect begins on day two or three. While some people don’t need any downtime, it’s smart to schedule a Green Peel Classic on a Wednesday so your skin will flake and peel over the weekend.  

Whichever peel you chose, you’ll return to your aesthetician after five days for a “beauty finish treatment,” to remove any dead skin cells and hydrate new skin. 

Your skin will be UV sensitive for four weeks after your peel, so wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.