I have been a huge fan of glycolic acid ever since it made headlines back in the late 80's - early 90's in the mass skin care market. And not by normal means. A motorcycle exhaust pipe burn while in Aruba left me with a not-so-pretty scar on my leg (yes, I was riding in shorts...I know, I know...). As fate would have it, I was given a sample jar of a glycolic acid product to try. I'd need a microscope to see the scar now. So I'm hooked on glycolics.

AB Skincare, newly-launched by NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Craig Austin, is a line of only a few products--but they pack a big punch of glycolic acid. So I had to try. Here's my first impression of 3 of the 6 products...

The 3 I tried range in glycolic acid strength from 10% (for face) to 15% (for hands) to 20% (for feet). And all formulations are in convenient pad form--yes, pads not just for your face, but also for your hands & feet. AB Skincare AB 10% is similar to many other glycolic acid pads I've tried. It doesn't feel irritating when I swipe it across my skin--and it's not drying either. If you're not used to glycolic acid, you may want to test it out first before going full force--it can feel stinging and it can irritate.

I found that AB Skincare AB 10% leaves my skin feeling...cleeaaannn. I like the feeling--and it also leaves my skin feeling smoother, particularly over a few days of use. AB Skincare AB 10% also contains witch hazel, which I detect the scent of--it's pleasant and adds to that clean feeling.

AB Skincare AB Hands and AB Skincare AB Happy Feet are a little more of a stretch to get used to: the pads are thin, and facial-size, so when I apply, the pad tends to roll or bunch up and to get the full coverage, you really have to hold the pad and focus on what you're doing. I'd much prefer a towelette size. The initial feeling is a bit sticky, though the pads do clean my hands and over time they are making my hands smoother.

WiWi: Was it Worth it? As a fan of glycolic acid, I do appreciate the AB Skincare line. I like the way it makes my skin feel--smoother, cleaner. I'm not sure I'd continue with the versions for hands and feet as I'd really prefer it in towelette form vs. facial pads. And word to the wise, if you have multiple AB Skincare jars, read them. It's very easy to grab the 20% AB Happy Feet and put it on your face by mistake...

posted by skintoxicated