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While you’re exfoliating your way into glowing skin with a peel pad, your body skin is in desperate need of attention with an elephant graveyard of dead skin flakes all over it. Some may choose to rely on the skin’s own natural cycle to get rid of dead skin cells. But if you’re dealing with back acne, keratosis pilaris (KP), or hyperpigmentation, you might want to take matters into your own hands with some help from body peels.
When exfoliation is concerned, everyone’s pretty familiar with body scrubs. But physical exfoliants can come nowhere near chemical exfoliants in terms of efficacy.
Just like your at-home exfoliating treatments and peel pads, body peels exfoliate the skin on your body with the help of chemical exfoliants like glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid.
They exfoliate the top layer of the skin by breaking down the bonds that hold those dead skin cells together. By removing the dead skin layer, body peels address a wide range of body skin problems like texture irregularities and hyperpigmentation.
Additionally, body peels reduce acne on the back/chest/arms/butt, acne scars, keratosis pilaris, sun damage, and dehydrated, flaky skin. Moreover, because of exfoliation, they eliminate ingrown hairs and razor bumps.
Last but not least, exfoliating acids like glycolic acid are anti-aging. They stimulate collagen production and help firm and tone the skin. This can be beneficial in treating and preventing stretch marks as well.
Although professional glycolic acid peels will obviously be more effective in getting rid of stretch marks, there’s no harm in trying an at-home peel first.
You can always go for the real deal. After all, a full-body chemical peel is a real professional treatment. Just like in-office chemical peels, you can get a body peel at a dermatologist’s office.
Until then, find below the best body peels you can use at home.
1. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment Peel
If you’ve used a peel pad for your face, then you know the struggle of trying to use it on your body. If you’re lucky, you can use that tiny pad on your neck and chest before it completely dries out. The best part about a body peel is that it is, well, for your body.
This one is one big peel pad you can comfortably wipe all over the legs, chest, and back. The body peel is soaked in two alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), namely glycolic acid and lactic acid. It also has salicylic acid in it. So it multi-tasks big time. You can use it to target KP or to get rid of flakiness in general. It also helps with back acne and stubborn acne marks.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid
Size: 8 counts
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
2. StackedSkincare TCA Lactic & Glycolic Body Peel
This one has a super minimal formulation. Plus, it’s super lightweight and feels just like a serum. The highly concentrated liquid body peel doesn’t hydrate or moisturize. It simply, but thoroughly, exfoliates! The multi-acid formula contains glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids.
It also contains trichloroacetic acid as well as phytic acid, which are both exfoliants. It’s effective in getting rid of razor bumps and strawberry legs, ingrown hairs, as well as dry, rough patches. It’s a leave-on treatment, so you can go to bed with it and wash it off the next morning.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, phytic acid
Size: 5 oz/150 ml
3. Neostrata Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion
This is an AHA body lotion with a concentration of 10%. It’s basically an exfoliating moisturizer for your body. You get to get rid of dead skin cells while giving your body a boost of hydration. The lotion is free of fragrance and oil. So it’s non-comedogenic.
The peeling lotion is a lifesaver for winter skin when you’re dealing with skin flakes all over. It’s also great for summer skin when sweat and humidity build up on the skin and give you congestion. Slather on to refine textured skin and lighten dark patches and pigmented spots.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, citric acid
Size: 6.8 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Oil-free, fragrance-free
RELATED: The Best Anti-Aging Body Lotions
4. Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing Body Lotion 10% AHA
Whether you’re following an anti-aging routine or just actively dealing with congestion, this exfoliating body lotion is going to give your body a makeover. It boosts collagen production and helps even out the skin tone.
Besides glycolic acid to retexturize body skin, it’s packed with antioxidants to target sun damage, wrinkles, roughness, and bumps. Because it has vitamins C and E as well as antioxidant-rich green tea. Apply all over on clean skin to boost moisture with shea butter.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, vitamin C
Size: 7 oz/210 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free
5. First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub With 10% AHA
This is a scrub enriched with chemical exfoliants. It has pumice for physical exfoliation. But the particles are really fine, so it doesn’t feel scratchy on the skin. And it has glycolic and lactic acids for chemical exfoliation. All of these are formulated into a rich paste. This one is like a body mask in that it needs rinsing off.
So after you buff away the flakes and let the acids work on bacne, chestne, scars, and marks, you wash it off. It works to eliminate KP, lift away stubborn skin flakes, and reveal smoother, and brighter skin. Plus, the body peel is suitable for sensitive skin with its blend of anti-inflammatory botanicals.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid
Size: 8 oz/226 gr
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, cruelty-free, vegan
6. Necessaire The Body Exfoliator
Similarly, this is another formula made with physical and chemical exfoliants. The body peel is made with glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids to retexturize the skin. The presence of both alpha and beta hydroxy acids makes the peel work double duty to address multiple issues like congestion as well as flaky skin.
But it also has charcoal powder for a very gentle physical exfoliation too. The peel contains niacinamide for its restorative and balancing benefits. If you don’t mind fragrance, there are two scented options. If you do, you can go for the fragrance-free formula. The body peel is suitable for sensitive skin too.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, niacinamide
Size: 6.1 oz/180 ml
Good To Know: Fragrance-free, vegan, cruelty-free
7. DERMAdoctor KP Duty High Potency Daily Body Peel
This is an exfoliating body peel pad that’s equally hydrating. The body peel contains glycolic and lactic acids for smoother body skin texture. And it has willow bark extract, a natural source of salicylic acid, to clear up acne and acne-causing bacteria.
In addition, it has a polyhydroxy acid, namely lactobionic acid, for mild exfoliation with some hydration and antioxidant benefits on the side. Because polyhydroxy acids are inherently gentler. Plus, the peel packs phytic acid to minimize discolorations and green tea to avoid irritation. These body peel pads can work very well for darker skin tones. Here’s the thing.
Darker skin tones, due to hyperactive melanin cells, tend to be more prone to hyperpigmentation. So even if you’re trying to get rid of dark spots with peels, there’s a chance you can make things worse with a peel because of potential irritation. That’s why a rinse-off formula like this one can work better on deeper skin tones as it won’t be as irritating as a leave-on treatment may be.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactobionic acid
Size: 10 counts
Good To Know: Hypoallergenic, cruelty-free
8. Pixi Glycolic Body Peel
This is one of the most affordable body peels out there. You can use it to reduce blemishes or lighten up discolorations. Or you can use it to simply scrub away the dead layer to increase the absorption of your skincare products. It’s made with the glycolic and lactic acid combo to break off dead skin cells while boosting clarity.
The peel has a lotion-like texture but it needs rinsing off. And it is enriched with ginseng to boost circulation, aloe to calm, and cucumber to hydrate. It’s an overall effective and budget-friendly body peel to get started on the trend.
Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid
Size: 6.8 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
9. PCA Skin Body Therapy
Lactic acid is the one usually recommended for people with sensitive skin both because it’s gentle and because it has additional benefits. So using it alone, without pairing it with glycolic acid, can give you that gentle exfoliation while you tap into its unique benefits. Besides polishing the skin, increasing radiance, and reducing flakiness, lactic acid also boosts hydration as it works as a humectant as well.
That’s why this 12% concentration body peel is great for dry, sensitive skin types to smooth away surface dead skin cells while replenishing the skin. Its moisturizing base made with shea butter, hyaluronic acid, and gluconolactone promotes softer and smoother skin all over without irritation.
Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, gluconolactone
Size: 7 oz/198 gr
Good To Know: Cruelty-free
How To Use a Body Peel
Depending on the choice of your product, your body peel may need rinsing off. If you’re using a peeling lotion, use it as part of your post-shower routine. Apply on clean, dry skin and leave it on.
If it’s a rinse-off product, apply it on clean skin and thoroughly rinse it off with lukewarm water. And always remember to check the instructions for the products.
Just like face peels, body peels can cause a tingling sensation right after application, which usually goes away. Use your body peel 1-2 times a week. Take a break if your body shows signs of irritation like redness, itchiness, and sensitivity.
Don’t use a body peel on freshly shaved, waxed, or lasered skin. Last but not least, chemical exfoliants make the skin vulnerable to sunlight. To avoid getting sunburn, always protect your body with SPF and protective clothing.
If you don’t have very sensitive skin, you can try dry brushing before showering. It can amplify the effects of your exfoliation. Remember, you can use body peels all over the body. But you can use them as a spot treatment for your back, chest, knees, elbows, and arms as well.
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