Before Trying The AHA 30% BHA 2% Peeling Solution From The Ordinary

Three things you wish you would have known before using the ordinary’s AHA BHA 30% peeling solution. This popular little bottle from the ordinary is one of the skin exfoliating acids that are amazing.

Some people’s skin loves this, and others’ skin hates this. This is a potent product, it is the highest percent of AHA which is 30%, and the highest percent of BHA 2% that you can get over the counter.

It’s an exfoliating acid mask peel that you apply onto dry skin, it helps with acne, it helps with scars, it can help a little bit with pigmentation depending on your skin type, And it is wonderful and it can change your life. But there are some things that many you didn’t know initially, that you wish you would have considered, thought of, or looked into.

If this is your first time using this, you should be using gloves, you should have an acid neutralizer ( to restore your skin’s PH to balance ) on hand because you won’t know what this is going to do to you. If you have paper cuts you don’t want to find out you should be wearing gloves. You can apply this directly to your skin on dry skin and keep it on for under 10 minutes. One more tip, you should be wearing a skincare headband.

3 Things To Know Before Trying The AHA 30% BHA 2% Peeling Solution From The Ordinary

1. Not Supposed To Sting

The first thing is this is not supposed to sting. Yes, this is a very potent mask it does have a lower PH but even with the 30%, this is not the same quality or strength as what they use in medical aesthetic offices, dermatology clinics, or even in a regular esthetician’s bed.

This is meant to be applied onto dry skin and it is an exfoliating acid but if it’s stinging it’s probably a little bit too much for your skin some people have much more sensitive skin and some people have skin that is much more resilient.

If you are one of those who grew up and struggled with acne all your life, and you used anything and everything on it. you thought that you had to scrub your skin off with little apricot pits to make your acne go away which is very incorrect.

Patch Test

In case your skin is extraordinarily tolerant to what can be used. if you don’t know how your skin reacts to this patch test first.

Have an acid neutralizer on hand, don’t go in and apply this super thick layer, just use vaseline around your eyes to protect it, because this is an acid it does do stuff and it is not to be messed around with.

When we do chemical peels like a Glycolic Acid or AHA peel in the office it is very different. We actually look for frosting on the skin you know you’re exfoliating the skin, it actually frosts up and that is damage that is causing the skin to have a reaction underneath. Which is later going to turn into both that peel as well as maybe some collagen stimulation, some scar reduction depending on the acid or peel that’s being used maybe acne or pigmentation reduction, etc. Those do itch burn sting. And that’s why we actually have neutralizers on hand when we do that that’s also why a licensed professional does that.

Because this was formulated to be over the counter, they did put in Tasmanian pepper berry that they claim is supposed to be less irritating. We do say this is less irritating than what happens in an office. But we haven’t seen any medical data showing that this Tasmanian fruit extract is actually helping you know to calm the skin.

We recommend if you are super sensitive this might feel a little bit ticklish, but it should never sting or burn. If it does something’s going on either your skin is too sensitive or your skin has not built up a tolerance to this product, or maybe your acid mantle or your skin’s barrier is damaged or this product is just not for you.

In medical offices they work people up to specific chemical peels, they start them off with a glycolic acid wash at home, then they will add salicylic acid or a lactic acid moisturizer.

Then they will start with a 10% peel, then you’ll go to maybe 15%, 20%, 30%, 50%, then 70% which is intense and you’re gonna peel for days but they build that up.

When you’re just buying this over the counter a lot of people don’t realize how strong this can be. Especially if you have never used an acid before in your life and you just slap it on. Please don’t do that, be careful, wear gloves, put vaseline around your eyes, and take it easy make sure that you are using sunscreen when you use this and know that it is not supposed to burn or sting.

So that is something that you wish you know because when you put it on for the first time, you will think that it isn’t working, there’s no stinging, there’s no burning, are they lying to me? But by the time you will rinse it off and see the results you will say “that is great wow”.

2. Can Be Used On Other Areas Of Skin

You can use this on the chest, on the back, and on other areas of the body. Your skin is your skin all over your body. And different areas will have different thicknesses, they will have different concentrations of pores, sebaceous units, and sebum production. For instance more on the face chest and back than elsewhere. But your skin can be exfoliated all over your body if you want to. You can use this elsewhere

Again you need to apply sunscreen after, you need to apply it on dry skin, still, follow the manufacturer’s directions, and you know to make sure that you are patch testing first just the way you put on your face.

If you have acne, scars, or similar issues that you’re trying to treat like on the face it’s absolutely wonderful.

3. Be aware Of Knockoffs!

You want to know how many fakes there are online. and you don’t realize that this is so popular and still so inexpensive of course. Because anything good happens, someone has to rip it off.

They are basically using influencers’ faces and their testimonial of the Ordinary product to sell their fake knockoff ones.

We understand that some people might not have access to it if you’re in Canada, Australia, or even Europe. Because we know that some products from the ordinary are not available outside the US.

So if you’re planning to buy one of these fakes or knock-offs they’re not even labeled properly the ingredients aren’t even what they say they are; that could be extraordinarily dangerous or it could just be a giant waste of money.