Cane+Austin makes a multitude of glycolic acid products. You could say it's their thing. I've tried a few pads here or there from a SpaceNK gift bag but never really gave the pads a full chance. I'm excited I got to give the Miracle Pad+ 30% a full test run. Details per Cane+Austin:
For maximum anti-aging results, these treatment pads contain the equivalent of a 30 percent glycolic acid treatment to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and excess sebum to reveal clearer, more radiant skin. Packed with vitamins A, C, E and COQ10, these peels are gentle enough for daily use but strong enough to produce visible skin-clearing results. Paraben and fragrance-free.
Benefits
- Maximum anti-aging results
- Exfoliates to reveal smoother, more even skin
- Eliminates dullness, dark spots and uneven texture
- Easy to use, pre-medicated pads
Directions Morning and night, swipe pad over clean face avoiding the eye area. For sensitive skin, use once daily at night for the first week, then increase to twice daily. A tingling sensation may occur and is normal. Follow with sunscreen during the day to protect skin from sensitivity.
These peel pads are a cult favorite. I have to admit I was terrified of the idea of a 30% glycolic acid peel. Glycolic acid is the smallest & most popular of the alpha hydroxy acids (AHA). It helps with sun damage, adds moisture by binding water to skin, removes upper layer of skin revealing more even, smoother skin, promotes cell turnover. This helps with pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles as well as reducing pore size. Glycolic acid can also be the most irritating which is why 30% scared me.
I will say these were not only effective but actually gentle and non-irritating for me. I used these twice a day for one week and noticed a smoother skin texture as well as a brighter complexion. I really figured I would have to give the twice a day up early but I was able to keep using the pads because they were gentle enough. I think as a shorter term boost like that these pads are great. Though I don't think my skin could have tolerated twice a day forever. A one week brightening and exfoliating boost every now and then is the perfect way these pads worked for me.
The glycolic acid used in this product is from cane sugar. Hence the 'Cane' in Cane+Austin. The pads also combine glycolic acid with witch hazel, lactic acid & salicylic acid in the form of willow bark. The pads also contain some antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients like cucumber, Co Q10, vitamins A, C and E & chamomile. I loved that this 30% formulation doesn't include alcohol in the inci list. Too many peel pads use alcohol and even other versions of this pad use alcohol. I'm able to use higher concentrations of acids when there's no alcohol involved. Alcohol just tends to dry my skin out and make it more sensitive and irritated.
These smell faintly like mint from the menthol. It is a hint and faint, nothing strong or overpowering. Another thing I loved about these pads is that they were saturated and wet. No dry pads here. I hate a pad that dries out because then you need three just to complete the job. Overall I will say I was pleasantly surprised by these pads. I kind of figured these would be an item I tested that I gave up on early for being too harsh. This ended up being more gentle than I expected which allowed me to use it twice a day in order to get the full effect that gycolic acid can produce. I would say this particular pad is my top pick from the Cane+Austin brand because it's effective, gentle and doesn't contain denatured alcohol.
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Ammonium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Salix Alba (Willow Bark) Extract, Phytic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Salicylic Acid Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Polysorbate-20, Menthol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Acetone, Disodium EDTA.
*PR Sample