Platinum Skin Care TCA Peel 7-13-20-30 Platinum Skin Care is my top pick for an effective and affordable TCA peel. With over 800+ reviews, their TCA peel is one of […]
Platinum Skin Care TCA Peel 7-13-20-30
Platinum Skin Care is my top pick for an effective and affordable TCA peel. With over 800+ reviews, their TCA peel is one of the bestsellers on the market and offers 4 different concentrations:
- 7% TCA - For Eye Peels
- 13% TCA - For Face Peels
- 20% TCA - For Stronger Face Peels
- 30% TCA - For Body Peels or TCA CROSS
Now, TCA is normally considered a medium peel, when using a low concentration (13% or 20%) in multiple layers or when using a high concentrations (30%) in single layers.
Beginners should start by using 13-15% TCA in monolayer which is considered a superficial peel.
In terms of skin penetration, a medium TCA peel can reach the upper layers of the dermis before it self-neutralizes (that's right - you don't need a separate neutralizing solution!).
To help illustrate this, the diagram below shows the depth of TCA penetration:
Now, let's talk about safety for a minute. The first step is to make sure you're getting the right TCA peel for your concern and experience level (when in doubt, start with the lower concentration).
If you are considering a high concentration TCA peel (50-100%), you should be aware of the risks: studies have shown that higher TCA percentages have a greater risk of side effects, including discoloration, scarring, and infections.
In fact, it is actually safer to perform a low concentration TCA peel (15-30%) using multiple passes (layers) to achieve similar results to that of a higher concentration TCA peel.
In most cases, you should expect to see flaking and redness in the following days, with complete exfoliation in 10 to 14 days.
In terms of peel application, here is a great tutorial video by dermatologist Dr. Davin Lim:
Platinum Skin Care also has a wealth of information on TCA here and here.
Finally, if you have a darker skin tone, there's the concern of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) as a possible side effect of using a TCA peel. There are ways to reduce this risk, such as:
- Preparing your skin with a melanin inhibitor (such as Meladerm) for 2-3 weeks beforehand
- Using a lower concentration like 13% TCA
- Applying retinoids or AHAs to thin the stratum corneum and increase acid penetration
My Verdict: Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) is an excellent, but often misunderstood, chemical peel for wrinkles and fine lines, pigmentation disorders like melasma, acne and acne scarring, and the general maintenance of healthy, smooth, and glowing skin. Platinum Skin Care offers a variety of TCA peels for different concerns and experience levels in 1.0 oz (set of 6 vials) and 2.0 oz bottles.
Platinum Skin Care Mandelic Peel 22-40+
Platinum Skin Care is my top pick and offers two high-quality mandelic acid peels:
- Mandelic + Azelaic Pro Peel 22% (for sensitive skin and rosacea - a very light peel)
- Mandelic Pro Peel 40%+ (for stronger results - but still considered a light peel)
The first peel is actually 20% mandelic acid plus 2% azelaic acid (a helpful skin brightening agent) and is best suited for sensitive skin, but also for teens and pre-teens to control acne breakouts.
If you've had a glycolic acid peel in the past, you should have no problems with 40% mandelic acid as the depth of overall skin penetration is very limited in comparison.
To help illustrate this difference, the diagram below shows the depth of mandelic acid penetration on the left (in yellow arrows) while glycolic acid penetration is shown on the right (in purple arrows):
As you can see, mandelic acid penetrates only the epidermis (the topmost layer of your skin) while glycolic acid penetrates through the epidermis and into the upper dermis layers.
Finally, if you're a busy person, or need to look your best all the time, mandelic acid is a great option as there's hardly any peeling, flaking, or redness, to speak of at all.
My Verdict: Platinum Skin Care offers two high-quality mandelic acid peels. Start with the 22% if you have sensitive skin or you're struggling with rosacea or teenage acne. Otherwise, you should be fine with 40% mandelic acid, especially if you're had glycolic peels in the past.
Platinum Skin Care Salicylic Peel 3-15-25
If you’re looking for a starter kit, Platinum Skin Care has you covered with their Salicylic Acid Kit.
This convenient set includes everything you need to get started:
- 2.0 oz Salicylic Acid Peel (3%, 15%, 25%) – this is double the usual bottle size (1.0 oz) and includes Menthol for "cooling action" to minimize any burning sensations. The 3% is considered a mini-peel and suitable for teens as a daily or weekly treatment and for adults as a daily toner. The 15% is the best starting point as a weekly peel to clear blemishes while the 25% is a much stronger version that works well as a spot treatment.
- 2.0 oz Peel Prep Solution – an alcohol-based toner to prepare your skin for a chemical peel. This helps remove any surface oils and debris to allow the salicylic acid to work effectively.
- 4.5 oz Post-Peel Neutralizer – a baking soda solution with Panthenol and Tea Tree Oil. Use the neutralizer after 2-5 minutes to stop the chemical peel from penetrating too deeply.
- Your choice of Fan Brush or Gauze Pads – my personal preference is gauze pads as I find it’s hard to get an even application using a fan brush.
This salicylic acid kit is perfect for beginners and should last you about 4-6 months. The only thing that’s missing is a post-peel recovery cream, and for that, I’d recommend two products:
- Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Sheet Masks – I use these right after a peel and they’re absolutely amazing for restoring skin hydration and reducing post-peel redness.
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 – this is currently my favorite recovery cream and features panthenol, madecassoside, and essential minerals to repair your skin barrier.
In this video, Jen from Platinum Skin Care explains how salicylic acid works (it's an oil-soluble BHA), which acid concentration you should use (3% - mini, 15% - beginners, 25% - advanced), and what you can expect in terms of results and side effects (e.g. flaking, dryness, redness).
With regular use, the 15% salicylic acid peel can help clear up inflammatory acne, flatten pimples, prevent breakouts, and also reduce the appearance of post-acne marks and pigmentation.
My Verdict: For the ultimate convenience, Platinum Skin Care's Salicylic Acid Kit has everything you need to start peeling at home for healthier, smoother, and clearer-looking skin.
Platinum Skin Care Lactic Acid 50
If you're looking for a starter kit, Platinum Skin Care has you covered with their Lactic Acid 50 Kit.
This convenient set includes everything you need to get started:
- 2.0 oz Lactic Acid 50% Peel - this is double the usual bottle size (1.0 oz) and includes Panthenol, Allantoin, and Rosemary Leaf Extract to reduce redness and soothe sensitivity.
- 2.0 oz Peel Prep Solution – an alcohol-based toner to prepare your skin for a chemical peel. This helps remove any surface oils and debris to allow the lactic acid to work effectively.
- 4.5 oz Post-Peel Neutralizer – a baking soda solution with Panthenol and Tea Tree Oil. Use the neutralizer after 2-5 minutes to stop the chemical peel from penetrating too deeply.
- Your choice of Fan Brush or Gauze Pads – my personal preference is gauze pads as I find it’s hard to get an even application using a fan brush.
This lactic acid kit is perfect for beginners and should last you about 4-6 months. The only thing that’s missing is a post-peel recovery cream, and for that, I’d recommend two products:
- Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Sheet Masks – I use these right after a peel and they’re absolutely amazing for restoring skin hydration and reducing post-peel redness.
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 – this is currently my favorite recovery cream and features panthenol, madecassoside, and essential minerals to repair your skin barrier.
In this video, Jen from Platinum Skin Care explains that lactic acid penetrates very superficially into your epidermis due to its large molecule size, making it a great option for dry or sensitive skin.
With regular use, lactic acid peels help improve many skin conditions, including hyperpigmentation, uneven tone, inflammatory acne, chronic dry skin, wrinkles and fine lines, and much more.
My Verdict: For the ultimate convenience, Platinum Skin Care's Lactic Acid 50 Kit has everything you need to start peeling at home for healthier, smoother, and more radiant-looking skin.
Platinum Skin Care Glycolic Acid 30-50-70
If you're looking for a more traditional liquid chemical peel (that offers amazing value for money), I'd highly recommend this glycolic acid starter kit by Platinum Skin Care.
Each starter kit includes:
- 2.0 oz Glycolic Acid Peel (30%, 50%, 70%) - I recommend starting with 30% Glycolic Acid for beginners to chemical peels and 50% for more advanced peelers. The 70% version is strictly for body usage or dilution into lower concentration peels.
- 2.0 oz Peel Prep Solution - an alcohol-based toner to prepare your skin for a chemical peel. This helps remove any surface oils and debris to allow the glycolic acid to work effectively.
- 4.5 oz Post-Peel Neutralizer - a baking soda solution with panthenol and tea tree oil. Use the neutralizer after 2-5 minutes to stop the chemical peel from penetrating too deeply.
- Your choice of Fan Brush or Gauze Pads - my personal preference is gauze pads as I find it's hard to get an even application using a fan brush.
When used regularly (~1x a week), a glycolic acid peel can help with many skin conditions, including hyperpigmentation, dark spots, melasma, inflammatory acne, chronic dry skin, and much more.
Chemical peels also help restore normal skin texture by promoting collagen and elastin growth, which can reduce the appearance of old acne scars as well as wrinkles and fine lines.
This glycolic acid kit is perfect for beginners and should last you about 4-6 months. The only thing that's missing is a post-peel recovery cream, and for that, I'd recommend two products:
- Dermal Korea Collagen Essence Sheet Masks - I use these right after a peel and they're absolutely amazing for restoring skin hydration and reducing post-peel redness.
- La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 - this is currently my favorite recovery cream and features panthenol, madecassoside, and essential minerals to repair your skin barrier.
Also, I should mention this starter kit includes a 2.0 oz bottle of glycolic acid, which is double the usual amount for a chemical peel. For a smaller size (1.0 oz), I recommend this one by Planet Eden which I recently bought for myself and found to be excellent quality as well.
Finally, customer reviews for Platinum Skin Care have been positive, with users commenting about brighter, smoother, and softer skin, with fewer blemishes and dark spots, after multiple sessions.
My Verdict: For beginners to chemical peels, I recommend Platinum Skin Care's Glycolic Acid Kit which includes a glycolic acid peel (choose 30%), peel prep solution, and post-peel neutralizer.