If you’re anything like me and have been looking for ways to up your skincare game while stuck at home, you’ve probably also been looking for ways to introduce salon-like treatments into your weekly beauty regime. While the occasional sheet or clay mask is always welcome, there’s definitely been an increasing need for products and sets that deliver active ingredients and offer long-term benefits, like reducing fine lines and wrinkles or smoothing out uneven skin texture.
So when Glo Skin Beauty, an award-winning U.S. brand known for its clean and clinically proven products, announced they’d be making some of their signature offerings available to Australian consumers at Sephora, it came at a perfect time. Basically, I’m not leaving the house for anything other than groceries and lunchtime walks, so why not try an at-home peel?
Every product from Glo Skin Beauty’s range is formulated for professional use in skincare clinics (so you know it has to be top-notch), and is a favourite among dermatologists and estheticians, with the brand’s “Peel-In-A-Box” collection offering up some of the world’s favourite salon-approved peels to be done in the comfort of home.
There are two peels to choose from—the Hydra-Bright AHA Glow Peel, which targets dullness, dehydration and hyperpigmentation, and the Retinol + C Smoothing Peel Kit, which works to refine uneven texture and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
I immediately gravitated toward the Hydra-Bright AHA Glow Peel, with my skin having felt a little lacklustre in the radiance department lately (anyone else?). According to the brand, the peel is the “ideal intro into at-home peel treatments”, so for someone who’s only ever left the responsibility of peels to professionals, this seemed like the perfect fit.
Arriving in the brand’s signature pink packaging, I wasn’t expecting it to feel this… professional? Each of the steps is carefully packaged into tiny bottles, as well as coming equipped with cotton buds, a glycolic applicator, mask cup, gauze and cotton rounds—basically, everything is made super simple for the most seamless experience.
It was pretty intimidating to see it all laid out at first, but once watching the brand’s demonstration video, which you access by scanning the QR code on the box, I was ready to get stuck in.
The first step is to cleanse with the Hydra-Bright AHA Cleanser (easy enough!), before moving on to the liquid exfoliant.
Now, this is where my nerves started to come in a little bit. I have fairly sensitive skin and usually avoid exfoliants as they tend to leave me irritated and red. I saturated a gauze with the HydraBright Pro 5 Liquid Exfoliant and swiped it gently over my skin. It was only in the sensitive areas around my nose that I felt a slight tingle, but not in a painful way.
After waiting for the exfoliator to dry, it was time for the Peel Prep, which is just swiped evenly across the face and then coupled with the Barrier Balm, which is applied using the cotton swab around the delicate areas of the skin—under the eyes, sides of the nose and lips, and anywhere else that you feel might need protection from the peel.
Okay, here came the scary/exciting part—the actual peel. Pouring the contents of the Hydra-Bright AHA Glow Peel in the Mask Cup, I dipped the Glycolic Applicator in to soak it and began away, applying an even layer to the skin and saturating the applicator again when needed.
It’s advised to leave the peel on for two to five minutes, making sure to monitor the skin’s activity. As the brand notes, it’s an active formula so a light tingling sensation and slight flushing is normal and to be expected. I didn’t feel any tingling except for the sides of my nose, but again, it wasn’t painful. I did notice that after around the two-minute mark my cheeks, which are prone to sensitivity, had flushed slightly.
Note: Glo Skin Beauty’s instructions say that if you do experience uncomfortable stinging or burning or significant redness, proceed to the next step.
Time to neutralize. When the peel has worked its magic, simply shake the Peel Neutralizer and apply using a reusable cotton round. This step works to adjust the skin’s pH, so may again cause a slight tingling—I didn’t experience that, but it is completely normal if your skin does react a bit.
The process is finished by adding the Hydra-Bright Alpha Arbutin Drops, which you can continue to use in the weeks after the peel.
I really liked the process of this peel, it was both relaxing and fun and felt like a real spa experience. While I didn’t notice instant results as I do with some masks (particularly the Go-To Transformazing Sheet Mask, which I use religiously before any big event), the next day there was a real difference in the luminosity of my skin, which became even more apparent in a Zoom meeting where I was instantly complimented on how good my skin looked—without a lick of makeup and only a layer of Ultra Violette’s Clean Screen SPF. The skin on my forehead was notably clearer and there was no lingering irritation or redness on my cheeks.
As for post-peel care? The brand says to not vigorously rub the skin or use mechanical scrubs that are going to irritate your skin, while also advising to avoid exercise for up to 48 hours following, as well as avoiding heat, steam and humidity (especially directly to the face). So if you’re prone to hot showers, I’d recommend jumping in prior to your peel.
It’s also crucial that you wear SPF 30 or higher for a minimum of 14 days post-peel (but, as we know, this should be a non-negotiable step in everyone’s routine). Here are my favourite sunscreens if you’re needing to add some into your collection:
All in all, Glo Skin Beauty’s Peel In A Box is definitely a must-try for those looking to give their skin a little extra love and definitely lives up to the brand’s reputation of salon-approved results.
Image Credits: Glo Skin Beauty
