I recently switched to a basic skincare routine so that I can get down to the nitty gritty and really test out some of the more targeted at-home peels. I put Murad’s Intensive Resufacing Peel to the test for a few weeks, it’s time to see how well it fared!
The peel comes in a flip-top pack of four small vials for weekly use. However, I’ve found that about half of the bottle is sufficient to cover my face—so I cap it and place it inside of the box on it’s top so that it’s ready to go next time. I just turned a month of treatments into two months of treatments! (You’ll need to give that vial a good squeeze the second time around.)
The formula is a pearly white gel that spreads across the skin easily, and you may notice a little bit of texture as you’re applying it—never fear, it’s just a gentle bamboo bead physical exfoliation.
Due to the glycolic acid, you may feel a little bit of a bite when you apply this to your skin (always avoid the eye area). It’s completely normal, but if it’s bothersome to you or you have sensitive skin—try leaving it for 3-5 minutes. Each week, you can gradually increase the time and still experience benefits. It doesn’t hurt, but there’s a definite tingle which is totally common for a product of this nature.
Murad is using one of the newest beauty superfruits in their Intensive Resurfacing Peel, called Durian—an Asian fruit used for centuries in Eastern medicine. Murad’s proprietary blend of glycolic and Durian provides antioxidant protection, hydration, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and helps promote cell renewal. It’s quite the combo! I also love that the peel contains both alpha and beta hydroxy acids. Alpha hydroxy acids (glycolic) help to exfoliate the skin, while beta hydroxy acids (salicylic) help flush pores. This is a great combo for congested and enlarged pores.
Results
After one 10 minute use, my skin was immediately brighter and smooth to the touch. It didn’t feel tight or dry, nor did I experience any peeling or increased sensitivity. With subsequent weeks, my skin continued to look brighter and it kept my pores clean. It doesn’t completely remove the blockages in pores on its own, but it does loosen debris and make extractions much easier. It also helps prevent some of the oil that wants to turn into a blackhead from hardening. With continued use after four weeks, I could see this making an impact. Where I didn’t see much benefit was in the claims of the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles. Perhaps I haven’t been using it long enough, or I just don’t have enough of them to see an improvement. I probably wouldn’t rely on a product like this to do so, I think that comes with professional treatments and a continued dedicated at-home regimen. If you’d like to shed the gunk, feel some softness, and get some brightness back to your skin, I do recommend the Intensive Resurfacing Peel.
Price & Availability: $45, murad.com
