OMG! The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution Did This To Me

I used the Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and here is my review .(This post has been updated from my earlier review ..)

I pride my skin as being tough and rarely reacts badly to skin care products, no matter how harsh.

However,my experience with The Ordinary AHA peeling Solution has me thinking twice about my passion as a beauty product junkie .

I had flawless skin in my 20s.But after child birth in my 30s,my skin went downhill.

So it’s been a process to achieve a reasonably clear skin and I suceeded .

However, recently ,I decided to take my skin care regimen more seriously .Like go all the way up!

Slides in chemical peels .

I’ve never really had a chemical peel .The closest thing to chemical peels is when I used the L’Oreal Revitalift Glycolic Peel Pads.

They were AMAZING by the way .

However, I got bored and needed a stronger peel. I read amazing reviews about The Ordinary Aha peeling solution .

Apart from the fact that it was cheap at $7.20 , ninety percent of the reviews were positive.

What Does The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution do?

 The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution is an exfoliating solution to help fight visible blemishes and improve the look of skin texture and radiance.

The official description reads

Alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA) exfoliate the skin’s topmost surface for a brighter and more even appearance. Beta hydroxyl acids (BHA) also exfoliate the skin with an extended function to help clear pore congestion. This combined 32% AHA/BHA solution offers deeper exfoliation to help fight visible blemishes and for improved skin radiance. The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture and reduces the look of fine lines with continued use.”

Instructions too were simple ”Do not exceed 10 minutes ’Do not use more than twice a week .

Considering I rarely keep to instructions when it comes to using skin care products , I did honour the instructions for using The Ordinary Aha Peel .

How I Applied It

I washed my face with Cerave cleanser which I think is mild enough,then smeared some drops of The Ordinary AHA peel

I immediately felt the slight sting but embraced it like a champ .

Then , I let it sit for 8 minutes as I believed I spent two minutes applying it .

I washed off with luke warm water .

First effect of using The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution

Once I washed it off, I was amazed by the glow .I mean, my forehead was basically like a mirror .Lets just say, my face could be likened to what Asians call glass skin .

To seal in moisture and avoid any form of drying , I moisturized my face with Clinique 72 hour Moisture Surge .

Then after admiring my skin for a few minutes , I went to bed with a smile on my face.

I dreamt of all the selfies I would take the next day. *Boom…in your face haters😁*

12 hours after use

So the next morning after using The Ordinary Aha peel for the first time , I woke up as usual and headed to the bathroom to view my face.

Something was horribly wrong .I woke up like a ’bee’ and I ain’t talking about waking up flawless like Beyonce .

I looked like I was stung by a bee. My cheek filled with zits, gaping open with huge pores .*I was already battling with pores so won’t put all the blame on The Ordinary aha peel*.

My pores were just more pronounced and enlarged .

Infact, my skin looked a mess .I started to panic, wondering what went wrong .

I immediately washed my face with cold water and then got some ice cubes to rub over my face and calm those zits and open pores .

That was just temporary relief but I felt a little better .

So I went online again to research and understand why I was one of the unlucky few who reacted badly to The Ordinary Aha Peel .

So I read about purging .

Did The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution make my skin purge?

Skin purging is usually a situation where by your skin purges or gets rid of all the dirt, grime by pushing it out to the surface.

This means ,some products push out impurities which would manifest in form of zits, pimples and more .

“Generally it is seen with products that increase cell turnover such as retinoid or hydroxy acids,” Sejal Shah, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City tells Allure. “Because purging is thought to be due to increased cell turnover, it’s really going to bring preexisting microcomedones to the surface and they will turn into whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts. Usually it happens in areas that you usually get breakouts,” she says.

Usually, purging usually lasts no more than 2 weeks and anything above two weeks is probably a bad reaction to the product .

Well, I don’t have the patience to move around with a face full of zits , all in the name of purging .

So I said ”thank you next ” to The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution.

I went all natural with Honey, lemon and egg mask to help me clear the zits and blemishes .

It worked .

Then,two weeks later , I decided to give The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution a second chance..*I’m nice like that*.

But this time , the zits were worse than before .

Verdict

So I finally shelved the Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution.

I’m now on a journey to get rid of the blemishes all over my right cheek .

Worthy of note is the warning that, The Ordinary AHA Peeling Solution, is for experienced users of chemical peels.

I guess I didn’t fall into that category .

Now, I decided to go back to the basics.Like go really simple because I just realized, sometimes, less is more.

And with a few days of usage,my skin is gradually getting its mojo back.

And while I haven’t completely sworn off The Ordinary skincare brand,let’s just say for now, anytime I pass the beauty aisle at my local store ,I look the other way .

UPDATE

I gave this product another try two months later and oh my it did WORK. I took a break from all beauty products for a week and then used The Ordinary twice a week. After the first use, my skin was flawless and I realized I needed to purge my skin of all other products as this is an acid.

So now I know why it has so many amazing reviews. Remember SUNSCREEN IS KEY . Need one? Here—-The Ordinary Peeling Solution

Full Disclosure : I get paid a little commission if you purchase via my link . ☺️