Hello_33_Fashion_Monthly_-_March_2020

hfm BEAUTY

100 HELLOFASHION.COM

THE PEEL GOOD

FACTOR

The word alone can conjure

up images of red raw faces,

but most peels shouldn’t lead

to swathes of skin flaking off

on your pillowcase. In reality,

a gentle peel can be the

route to a smoother, brighter

complexion. They come in a

range of strengths and acid

solutions, too – so you need

not worry about sporting first

degree burns.

HOW THEY WORK

Superficial or very superficial

peels are mild treatments that

you can do at home. “They

can improve discolouration

and texture, but also stimulate

collagen production,” says Dr

Stefanie Williams, dermatologist

and medical director at

Eudelo. Alpha hydroxy acids

(AHAs), like glycolic and

mandelic acid, work by

dissolving the bonds that hold

together dull skin cells and can

help fade brown spots, make

pores appear smaller and ramp

up a glow. For sensitive skin,

polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) are

slow-moving molecules that don’t

penetrate as deeply – therefore,

you don’t chance redness or

irritation. If you have oily skin,

beta hydroxy acids (BHAs),

like salicylic acid, can burrow

blackheads out of pores. Then

there are naturally-derived fruit

enzymes, which are best for

irritation-prone skin.

HOW TO USE THEM

Peels for home use offer

percentages such as 5-15 per

cent glycolic acid, whereas

professional peels can start

at 20 per cent and increase

from there, depending on the

depth of peeling desired. And

although many brands state the

strength as a percentage on the

bottle, higher isn’t always better.

“A ten per cent peel from one

brand can be stronger than a

ten per cent peel from another

brand because of its pH level,”

says Kate Kerr, clinical facialist

and director of Kate Kerr

London. So unless you have a

pH strip handy, start with a low

percentage to minimise irritation.

And remember, new cells are

sensitive, so you’ll need to use a

high factor SPF.

AHAs and

BHAs for shrinking

the look of pores

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha

Beta Pore Perfecting &

Refining Serum, £68

Mandelic acid for

pigmentation

The Ordinary Mandelic

Acid 10%, £5.80

Enzymes for

smoothing

Elemis Dynamic

Resurfacing Facial

Pads, £40

Glycolic acid

for brightening

SkinCeuticals

Glycolic Cleanser, £30

Polyhydroxy acids for

sensitive skin

Ole Henriksen Phat

Glow Facial, £42

What it is

Peels promise to pave the way to fresh, radiant

skin – here’s everything you need to know

A Beginner’s Guide To Peels

APPLIED

BEAUTY

Fix-it

Peels

GIADA

PROFESSIONAL

PEELS

Dr Stefanie suggests

seeing a dermatologist

to tackle wrinkling and

melasma. But clinical

medium-depth peels

involve more downtime

than superficial peels.

“However, there are

gentler options that

need to be repeated as

a course and can

achieve similar results

with less irritation,” she

says who favours the

Eudelo MelaOut

peel package.

WORDS: ELLE SIXSMITH PHOTOS: GORUNWAY

ALBERTA FERRETTI

hfmBEAUTY

100 HELLOFASHION.COM

THEPEELGOOD

FACTOR

Thewordalonecanconjure

upimagesof redrawfaces,

butmostpeelsshouldn’tlead

to swathesof skinflakingoff

onyourpillowcase.In reality,

a gentlepeelcanbethe

routeto a smoother,brighter

complexion.Theycomein a

rangeof strengthsandacid

solutions,too– so youneed

notworryaboutsporting first

degreeburns.

HOWTHEY WORK

Superficialor verysuperficial

peelsaremildtreatmentsthat

youcandoat home.“They

canimprovediscolouration

andtexture,butalsostimulate

collagenproduction,”saysDr

StefanieWilliams,dermatologist

andmedicaldirectorat

Eudelo. Alphahydroxyacids

(AHAs),likeglycolicand

mandelicacid,workby

dissolvingthebondsthathold

togetherdullskincellsandcan

helpfadebrownspots,make

poresappearsmallerandramp

upa glow.Forsensitiveskin,

polyhydroxyacids(PHAs)are

slow-movingmoleculesthatdon’t

penetrateas deeply– therefore,

youdon’tchancerednessor

irritation.If youhaveoilyskin,

betahydroxyacids(BHAs),

likesalicylicacid,canburrow

blackheadsoutof pores.Then

therearenaturally-derivedfruit

enzymes,whicharebest for

irritation-proneskin.

HOWTOUSETHEM

Peelsforhomeuseoffer

percentagessuchas 5-15per

centglycolicacid,whereas

professionalpeelscanstart

at 20percentandincrease

fromthere,dependingonthe

depthof peelingdesired.And

althoughmanybrandsstatethe

strengthas a percentageonthe

bottle,higherisn’talwaysbetter.

“Atenpercentpeelfromone

brandcanbestrongerthana

tenpercentpeelfromanother

brandbecauseof its pHlevel,”

saysKateKerr,clinicalfacialist

anddirectorof KateKerr

London.Sounlessyouhavea

pHstriphandy,startwitha low

percentageto minimiseirritation.

Andremember,newcellsare

sensitive,so you’llneed to use a

high factor SPF.

AHAsand

BHAsforshrinking

thelookofpores

Dr DennisGrossAlpha

BetaPorePerfecting&

Refining Serum, £68

Mandelicacidfor

pigmentation

TheOrdinaryMandelic

Acid 10%, £5.80

Enzymesfor

smoothing

ElemisDynamic

ResurfacingFacial

Pads, £40

Glycolicacid

forbrightening

SkinCeuticals

Glycolic Cleanser, £30

Polyhydroxyacidsfor

sensitiveskin

OleHenriksenPhat

Glow Facial, £42

What it is

Peelspromisetopavethewaytofresh,radiant

skin – here’s everything you need to know

A Beginner’s Guide To Peels

APPLIED

BEAUTY

Fix-it

Peels

GIADA

PROFESSIONAL

PEELS

Dr Stefaniesuggests

seeinga dermatologist

to tacklewrinklingand

melasma.Butclinical

medium-depthpeels

involvemoredowntime

thansuperficialpeels.

“However,thereare

gentleroptionsthat

needto berepeatedas

a courseandcan

achievesimilarresults

withlessirritation,”she

sayswhofavoursthe

EudeloMelaOut

peel package.

WORDS: ELLE SIXSMITH PHOTOS: GORUNWAY

ALBERTA FERRETTI