Step right up to major exfoliation...

You know how some people are connoisseurs of this, that or the other impossibly lovely thing in life? Maybe it’s top-flight French wines, to-die-for gourmet truffles, or sleek, vroomy sports cars with price tags well north of a million?

Well, I’m into peel pads. The ones that can kinda burn your face off if you’re not careful.

My love affair with these unassuming (yet powerful) little white disks all started with the amazing Anti-Oxidant Peels administered by my long-time derm, Debra Jaliman. For several years, I’d pop into Deb’s office about once a quarter for a little freshening up. Though they weren’t (and aren’t) a lot of fun while they’re happening (i.e., they sting like a swarm of bees), the results are well worth the short-term pain: after an initial peeling-slash-shedding phase that lasts a few days, my skin is extremely glowy, and — dare I say — younger-looking.

Once I became preggers and the requisite preggo-paranoia set in, I put the derm-office peels on hold. After I delivered, and attempted to breastfeed for a spell, my tried-and-trusty beautifier remained on hold. Eventually, all this “holding” took, and I’ve been unspeakably remiss in burning the first few layers of epidermis off while clenching the sides of that tilting vinyl examination chair.

Happily, the world is now filled with excellent DIY chemical-peel stand-ins. Right now, in fact, I have no fewer than three different brands in my medicine cabinet:

Arcona Raspberry Clarifying Pads

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha-Beta Daily Body Peel

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads

I like them all for different reasons, which I’ll quickly detail here: The Arcona is really gentle and mild, and great for when I just want to freshen up and not literally suffer for beauty; Dr. Dennis Gross’s Alpha-Beta pads are pretty much the gold standard by which all others are judged, and I boldly use the body peel all over, mommy-mug included; and the Peter Thomas Roth, my current fave, is so strong that I actually follow the directions and splash my face with water to “neutralize” the acids after use.

Despite the fact that I already own and operate so many different pads, I still have one on my shopping list: philosophy the microdelivery multi-use pads. Why those, and not some other brand? One, my pal Cristina Carlino invented them, and I know she’s as obsessed with great skin as I am. And two, how can I consider myself a connoisseur if I don’t try, try, try and buy, buy, buy?

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