My skin has been a major issue for me for what feels like my entire life. Even though I’m 26, I unfortunately still suffer from breakouts. It’s so unfair!
While my skin has cleared up some overall since my teens, my skin texture has definitely taken a bit of a beating. (Nearly two decades of acne will do that to a person’s skin!)
I tried laser skin resurfacing in early 2016, and besides not being impressed with the results, I felt like my skin was made worse by it. Actually, I know my skin was made worse by it but that’s neither here nor there.
I never make sponsored skincare product posts as I know how difficult treating acne can be. I’ve turned down SO MANY offers to promote acne treatment systems over the years because I just can’t make a promise of curing acne for any dollar amount.
What may work for me, might not work for you. What you swear by, may do nothing for me. However, when I come across something that helps me, I feel it’s my duty to share it just in case it helps someone out!
While this post isn’t about treating acne, what I’m recommending can help a lot with other skin issues — texture, uneven pigmentation, dullness, flakiness, pore size, fine lines, even milia!
In October/November 2016, my skin was kind of freaking out! It could have been hormonal, stress, triggered by the change in seasons, my diet, etc. You never really KNOW with skin. I typically break out most along my chin and jaw and only on occasion get a pimple on my cheeks or forehead area.
In hopes of making my skin look better in the areas where I don’t have much of any major acne issues, I decided to open up my medicine cabinet and see if there were any products I was neglecting.
I found an old packet of the Ole Henriksen Power Peel masks and decided to give it another shot. I had tried it once before and remembered liking it but forgetting about it. At the time, my skin was doing fairly well. But this time, I was desperate and therefore much more invested. I was ready to see some results!
Here’s how this 3 step mask / at home peel works!
You start by washing your face (bonus points for getting the neck and chest area) and then while it’s still damp, you use Step 1 — “The Almond Scrub.” (it smells like candy!) You give your skin a good massage with the grainy substance for about two minutes before you rinse it all away and pat your skin dry.
Step 2 is the actual peel process. “The Lemon Strip Peel!” You spread this peel over your entire face. It’s really strong and it’s recommended that you do a little patch test on the back of your neck. If you don’t notice any irritation (some tingling is fine) you’re good to apply it to your face. You know you’ve got a good mask if it can potentially be too strong for some people! Haha So you apply that to the skin and it will tingle quite a bit but after about two minutes, DO NOT RINSE ANYTHING OFF YET, you go ahead and apply —
Step 3 right on top. Step 3 is the “Chamomile Comfort” & it’s similar to their Nurture Me cream. You apply it right over the lemon strip mask and it will soothe the skin and make the tingling a lot more bearable. Leave this on for about 15 minutes and then you can go ahead and rinse everything off with lukewarm water.
sidenote: SOMETIMES I’ll leave the mask on for about 20 minutes for an extra kick! It just depends on what your skin can handle. As I said, most of the tingling goes away for me after the first few minutes. Use your judgement. Your skin shouldn’t look or feel like it’s actually on fire! Haha!
What’s left over is your skin will look firmer, tighter, and smoother. It will feel like you got a brand new face! The Lemon Strip Peel literally eats away the very top layer of your skin to reveal healthier, glowier, better skin underneath. It’s BALLS TO THE WALL AMAZING!
Apply a good moisturizer or oil over the top, depending on your preference. The Ole Henriksen packaging recommends the Youth Activating Oil, but I honestly like to use my Origins Drink Up Overnight Mask.
It’s recommended to use this peel 1 or 2x a month. I honestly have been doing it at least once a week and my skin seems to be responding very well to it. Again, use your judgement! My skin is pretty thick and not that sensitive.
Yes, this is a pretty pricey routine (The masks average at about $9-$10 per use), however, it will cost a lot less than going to a spa and you can do it right in the comfort of your own home, with a towel on your head and in a robe like I do.
I’ve found a way to get more product for less by purchasing individual products separately. For example, I LOVE the Walnut Scrub! It smells amazing and is quite similar to the Almond Scrub in the kit. You can use this more regularly, in between treatments. The Lemon Strip Peel is sold separately as well. This is great for if you just want to do a small spot more frequently and don’t want to open a new treatment or waste product from the sets.
I’ve read reviews where people have said they’ve tried the Lemon Strip Peel on milia and have noticed a difference! The Chamomile Comfort is the trickiest step to replace but it’s not entirely necessary as the individual Lemon Strip Peel doesn’t instruct you to put any kind of cream on top of it. The most similar product to the Chamomile Comfort looks like it might be the Nurture Me Cream which I haven’t tried yet.
I’ve always loved Ole Henriksen, their Truth Serum Collagen Booster has been a favorite product of mine for a long time. It’s something I’ve repurchased and gone back to MANY times as it’s great at speeding up the fading of post-acne pigmentation.
Again, this isn’t a sponsored post at all. I’ve purchased all of the products mentioned with my own money. Ole Henriksen & I have nothing to do with each other at the moment! Yes, this is a pretty pricey routine, but it’s made such a difference in my skin. You can try the at home treatment 2x for $18 from Sephora to see if you like it before committing to spending 50+ or purchasing any of the individual products.
If you have any recommendations for REALLY GOOD + SERIOUS at home chemical peels, please tweet me! (@jessicaharlow)
BONUS POINTS — For even more of a glow, don’t stop at just your face! Bring it down onto your neck and chest! Hell, I plan on doing this to my butt-cheeks one day! WHY NOT?! haha
