Jean’s Preferred Exfoliating Ingredients

I hope by now I’ve convinced you that regular chemical exfoliation of your face and neck should be part of your antiaging skincare routine.



If you can get a prescription, tretinoin (a.k.a. retinoic acid) creams like Retin-A or Renova (Retin-A in a moisturizing base for dry skin) are still the strongest chemical exfoliating creams available.



If you prefer a gentler approach or cannot get a prescription, OTC ingredients to look for are vitamin A derivatives called retinoids and including retinal and retinyl palmitate; AHAs like glycolic, lactic, tartaric, malic, alpha-hydroxyethanoic or alpha-hydroxycaprylic acid and sugar cane extract; BHAs such as salicylic acid (less irritating than AHAs and also used to treat acne), beta-hydroxybutanoic acid, tropic acid, and trethocanoic



Products which contain high levels of retinoids and/or hydroxy acids are:

Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 10% Hydrating Gel;

DDF Cellular Revitalization Age Renewal;

Osmotics Blue Copper 5;

Reviva Alpha Lipoic Acid Vitamin C Ester & DMAE Cream;

Great Skin All In One, Scalpel-less Face Lift Cream; and

Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer .



Tags: hydroxy acids, exfoliation, retinoids