Simply Saima

In today’s post I will be sharing my thoughts on The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. I use this product on and off for specific areas and it’s taken me a hot minute to get through, and guess what? it’s still not finished. Spoiler alert it’s not my go-to exfoliator and I’m sure many of you who know about this product know why, but I’ll get into it later on in this post.

About The Product

Deciem/ The Ordinary state that:

With 30% alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic/lactic/tartaric/citric), 2% beta hydroxy acid (salicylic acid), hyaluronic acid crosspolymer, vitamin b5, black carrot and tasmanian pepperberry.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) exfoliate the skin’s topmost surface for a brighter and more even appearance. Beta hydroxy acids (BHA) also exfoliate the skin with an extended function to help clear pore congestion. This combined 30% AHA and 2% 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.

This formula contains a studied Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use. This derivative is of plant origin and varies in colour seasonally and this colour variation may be apparent in the formula from time to time. This formula is further supported with a crosspolymer form of hyaluronic acid for comfort, Vitamin B5 to assist healing and black carrot as an antioxidant.

Note: This formula contains a very high concentration of free acids. We recommend use only if you are an experienced user of acid exfoliation and your skin is not sensitive.

Contraindications: This formula should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. Please refer to additional sun protection note and other warnings in provided Directions.

The pH of this formula is approximately 3.6. Glycolic Acid, the primary AHA used in the formula, has a pKa of 3.6 and pKa is the most important aspect to consider in formulating with acids. pKa implies acid availability. When pKa is close to pH, there is an ideal balance between salt and acidity, maximizing effectiveness of the acid and reducing irritation. Higher pH numbers in such a case would increase salt which counter-intuitively would make the formula even more irritating than if the formula was more acidic.

Note: While exfoliating acids can result in quick visible benefits, we generally suggest indirect forms of skin exfoliation in favour of direct forms such as this formula due to potential inflammation and sensitivity associated with acids. Please refer to NIOD’s Non-Acid Acid Precursor for such a reference.

DirectionsClean face and wait for skin to dry. Do not use on wet skin. Apply evenly across face and neck using fingertips, avoiding the eye area. Leave on for no more than 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Do not use on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. Avoid the eye contour and contact with eyes both during application and rinse off. This low-viscosity solution is intended to be used as a masque. Do not leave on for longer than 10 minutes. It is not recommended to use more than twice per week. Contact of the product with the skin must be of limited frequency or duration. If irritation occurs, cease use and consult a physician. Use only as directed on unbroken skin. Patch testing prior to use is advised. Keep out of reach of children.

Sunburn Alert: This product contains an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that may increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Use a sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and limit sun exposure while using this product and for a week afterwards.

Ingredients

Glycolic Acid, Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan gum, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.

Quantity & Packaging: 30ml in a transparent frosted glass bottle with a pipette dropper lid.

Appearance & Texture: A dark burgundy liquid, some say it looks like blood and some say it looks like beetroot. It can stain a little so be careful around light coloured surfaces and material, and make sure to wash it off thoroughly. It has a slippery texture.

Scent: This has a slight sweet fruity floral chemical smell which comes naturally from the ingredients.

My Experience

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution was or maybe still is a quite popular product. I don’t see it talked about as often on social media anymore but for a while there was a bit of madness with it on TikTok. Some people used it correctly and many did not because of some terrible misuse due to viral ‘blood mask’ entertainment videos. I’d like to think that the tide has calmed down around this product and that most people now know that it must be used with caution as it is strong stuff, not for newbies or those with sensitive skin. It’s not as strong as clinic chemical peels so you won’t see your skin shedding and peeling but it is still a strong chemical exfoliant that can cause irritation or damage, so I would advise everyone who wants to try this product, especially if you are new to chemical exfoliants, to read the product description, notes of caution and contraindications as well as instructions of use stated by The Ordinary which you can read above in this post or on the Deciem/ The Ordinary website.

If you’d like to read more about chemical exfoliation, I’ve written a detailed post dedicated to the topic which you can read via the following link: Complete Guide to Chemical Exfoliation in Skincare | AHA, BHA & PHA

Now on to my personal experience with the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution.

The first few times I tried this once a week. After washing my face I would wait for my skin to dry completely and then apply around 10 drops for my whole face, avoiding any pimples. I was able to leave it on for a full 10 mins and found that it didn’t sting upon application but did start to slightly warm my face gradually over the 10 mins, and some areas felt a bit tingly but bearable. After 10 mins passed, I would gently but thoroughly wash it off with lukewarm water and could feel that my skin would be baby soft but also tight and a bit flaky around my cheeks and forehead so I would apply a lot of hydrating and moisturising products after. I then tried keeping it on for just 2-5 mins the next few times I used it, and found that I got the same results.

After that I decided to use the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution only on areas with significant congestion, i.e. my nose and my upper cheek area beside my nose, basically the area where people put nose pore strips, because the more dehydrated areas definitely do not need it. I leave it on this area for 2-10 mins, monitoring how my skin is feeling throughout so that I know if I should wash it off sooner or continue for the whole 10 mins. Sometimes it stings on the corner of my nose where the skin is thinner in which case I wash it off straight away and usually try to avoid the corners. I find that it brings deep clogs to the surface which can then be easily manually extracted, however this is something I can do in a more gentle way by using an effective oil cleanser and don’t really need a chemical exfoliator for.

I also decided to use it on my body as it’s good for loosening ingrown hairs and smoothing the keratosis pilaris on the back of my arms and legs. This is the main use I get out of it now as it’s effective and doesn’t cause irritation to my body so far, but just like on my face I also have to slather my skin with hydrating and nourishing products after.

I don’t use the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 20% Peeling Solution anywhere on my face anymore, not because it doesn’t work for me, but because I prefer more gentle ways of unclogging my pores and keeping my skin soft and smooth. For congestion on my face I prefer oil cleansers, enzyme powder exfoliators or very gentle low percentage chemical exfoliators.

Will I repurchase? There are other things I want to try for my needs so I’m not in a rush to repurchase this, however it is a good AHA BHA wash off treatment for occasional use to combat congestion, ingrown hairs and keratosis pilaris when used correctly with caution. For my face I would like to try a less potent combi AHA BHA PHA for more regular use such as the Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Day Miracle Toner.

I’d love to know what you think of The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, feel free to share your opinions in the comments ?