30% Salicylic Skin Peel Diary.

I purchased a 30% salicylic acid peel on eBay - I know, it's bad. But with 100% positive feedback, some pretty awesome reviews, and my lack of expendable income, I decided to go ahead and buy it anyways.

I have some pretty terrible adolescent acne - not awful - but worse than anyone I've ever gone to school with, which has always been a blow to my confidence. I have a long history with other chemicals and products, so I wasn't at all worried about the 'burn' that is described during these procedures.

I'm aware that this thing isn't a miracle worker. I was fully prepared for after-procedure breakouts and I'm still not expecting it to clear years and years worth of acne in a couple of weeks like some people claim it does. Instead, my goal is merely to clear my blocked pores and get to the root of the problem and prevent these breakouts from starting at all - which it definitely seems to do! I havent had a single noticeable blackhead ever since starting to use this product, and my cystic acne seems to have disappeared altogether. Surprisingly even to me, my old acne scarring and hyperpigmentation have lightened considerable, and my usual rosey-red flush has become a more lovely, even peachy color. I'm definetely excited to continue my use with this peel.

The only problem that keeps me from giving this product a rating is my usage - I think I'm overdoing it, and so I dont want to negatively rate a product which might otherwise be perfect. In my haste and excitement to try this product, I decided to try the 'every three day' rule of application. Which my skin, apparently, doesn't aprove of. I'll keep a diary of my usage to see how it truely affects me.

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JUNE 4TH - Patch test. I recieved the product in the mail and immediately set out to try it. It smells a lot more unpleasantly than I thought it would, and it makes my eyes water if I bring it near them. Nevertheless, I wash my face as normal with spectro gel, and tone with alcohol. With a small paint brush, I apply the peel to a small patch of skin on my cheek by my ear. There's a slightly noticeable frosting, but nothing major. I wash off after one minutes. By the next morning, skin has had no noticeable reaction and I assume it's safe to use.

JUNE 5TH - First peel. Product still stinks. I washed and toned as usual. Applied with a fan brush across cheeks, forehead and nose, with immediately noticeable frosting, possibly due to layers of dead skin. There was a definite heat on my cheeks, and a pretty intense tingling that quickly died out - but no painful burning, as I had expected. I left on for one minute and neutrilized with a baking soda/water solution, then rinsed repeatedly with cold water. I applied Cetaphil's non-comedogenic moisturizor afterwards and went to bed. No noticeable flaking for the days following.

JUNE 8TH - Impatient, I repeat the process again. There is less frosting, but its still incredibly noticeable and I get worried. After one minute and thirty seconds, I wash off and notice a very slight redness in my skin that goes after a few minutes. I later learn that Salicylic frosting can also be the product re-crystalizing as the alcohol evaporates. It's not actually my skin, which reassures me. I have a small break out after, so I decide to wait for five more days before attempting again.

JUNE 14TH - Third Peel. There's a definite reduction in old acne marks. Redness has faded and despite an inconsistant skin care schedule, there's no sign of returning breakouts. I'm excited to try again, and do so with no abnormalities. In the days following, I have two tiny pimples around the mouth area, but nothing else, and slight flaking on my nose. I assume it's safe to try again

JUNE 17TH - Fourth Peel. I was wrong about my schedule plan. Alternating with every 3 or 5 days has done nothing but upset my skin, and its making itself known today. I cleanse and apply the peel as per usual, waiting 2 minutes before nuetralizing. Surprising to myself, the peel actual burns and it becomes a difficult two minutes. While there is normal frosting, something unusual and frightening happens - there is a permanent frost in some areas, even after washing. One pimple from the previous peel, and a spot on my cheek have been 'burned' by the product. I rinse my face with cold water several times until the white skin has disappeared and I coat my skin with plenty of moisturizor, sealing with a layer of vaseline. This has cause a rather angry breakout ever since - six to seven new spots around my mouth that are small, but painful nonetheless. My nose is peeling more than before, but doesn't seem irritated. The spot on my cheek is fine and no scabbing or scarring of any sort has appeared. I take it as a warning from my skin and I think I'll be waiting a full 7-day week before attempting again.

JUNE 24TH - TBA.