What is it?
'A daily home use peel is expertly formulated at an effective pH using a NeoStrata-developed delivery system for gentle yet optimal skin penetration.' Aka - acid toner with a kick
Who is it for?
All skins but particularly oily/acne and sun-damaged, mature and/or dull.
What’s in it?
Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Ammonium Hydroxide, Arginine, Acetyl Tyrosinamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
What's not in it?
Parabens Fragrance
Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?
Alcohol Chlorphenesin
Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?
Man made/vegan
Tested on animals/sold in territories that advocate testing?
No/unknown (will confirm if I find out)
How does it smell?
Fragrance free
How does it feel on the skin?
Mild tingle, nothing unusual for acid
How do you use it?/Where to use in your routine?
NeoStrata recommend PM use only, after cleansing.
How long before you should see results?
Obviously it depends how long you have been using acids, so either immediately or over a short period of time - but acids are generally quick.
How long did I test it for?
A few months
How much is it? /Size/Approximate cost per usage?
£47.00 - £50.00 depending where you purchase - 36 pads so approx £1.30(ish) a pad.
What’s good about it?
NeoStrata are a professional brand only available through clinics and every product is backed up by a clinical, not consumer, trial. These pads are the complete antithesis of something like the Juice Beauty pads previously reviewed here. The set comes with the liquid in its own bottle and the pads are dry and ready to be soaked, meaning it stays completely sterile before use and then the pads are well and truly soaked when you empty the 'juice' into the pads container. The pads contain a 10% concentration of glycolic acid along with amino acids delivered via a patented system called Aminofill, amino acids basically being the building blocks of collagen and thus helping to smooth out the lines and wrinkles. These really do 'start' your routine once your face is clean.
What’s not so good about it?
They're not cheap, but the price is basically the only negative if you have budget concerns. This is by far the best acid packaging I've seen thus far. It's SO satisfying emptying the liquid onto the pads and shaking them around. I would have preferred a different buffer than ammonia, but it's more popular with American brands for some reason, and at least these don't antagonise the issue with unnecessary fragrance etc.
Works well with?
Any serum you follow this up with will penetrate better than without using an acid - but in all fairness you can say that about a lot of acids - that's rather the point of them.
What’s the website like?
This is where there is room for improvement. The downside of brands only being available in professional clinics/spas is that the websites are usually non-transactional and lacking information, and sadly, like Biologique Recherche and SkinCeuticals, this is the case with NeoStrata in the UK. The 'Where to Buy' page doesn't work for me, so I can't even help you with a few London addresses. Don't let that put you off though. There's a phone number. Call them and ask where you can buy because the products are brilliant. Properly brilliant. The exception to the website 'fail' is the 'Heritage' page, which goes into good detail about how the brand started, and why they lead the path in many ways.
Similar products?
Zelens PHA+ Pads Dennis Gross MD Acids Kate Somerville Clinic-To-Go Pads Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Pads
NeoStrata Smooth Surface Daily Peel Pads are approx £47/50.00 and more information on where to buy can be found here in the UK: www.neostrata.co.uk
along with an online stockist here: askinology.com/neostrata and here in the USA: www.neostrata.com - the USA website is good.
And if you are outside the UK and the USA go here: www.neostrata.com/restoftheworld
