Scared Of Chemical Peels? Try These Natural DIY Chemical Exfoliators That You Can Use Stress-Free

Chemical peels are a rage these days because they really are amazing. However, it’s quite normal to be scared by the name because the “chemical” in it is kind of off-putting – especially if you aren’t well-versed with skincare products. To bring you up to speed, chemical peels exfoliate your skin without being excessively (physically) abrasive. They use a mix of AHAs and BHAs to gently exfoliate your skin.

It is important to understand that even these AHAs and BHAs are derived from natural elements. Now, another concern is to find a good OTC chemical peel that works well on your skin. And, we have a solution. Whipping up a DIY chemical exfoliator at home will tell you exactly what you’re putting on your skin so that you can pick your ingredients and the results are just as good as any OTC finds. Here are a few homemade chemical peels you can try.

4 DIY Chemical Peel Exfoliators That You Can Try On At Home

Manic Lactic

Derived from milk, lactic acid is a mild alpha hydroxy acid that works for all skin types and is especially suited for dry and sensitive skin. This simple homemade lactic acid peel contains curd and cucumber so it is thoroughly soothing too. It will smoothen dry patches, remove dead skin cells, and leave your skin feeling silky soft.

What You Need

• 1 tbsp cucumber pulp
• 1 tbsp curd
• Half a lime 

How To Use It

1. Mix a tablespoon of cucumber pulp with a tablespoon of curd in a bowl.
2. Squeeze the juice of half a lime in this bowl and stir.
3. Apply this mixture to clean skin and let it sit for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse it off with lukewarm water.

Glycol The Shots

Glycolic acid is derived from sugarcane so sugar is the main ingredient we’re using in this peel. This AHA helps fight signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles, and it also corrects pigmentation. This natural chemical exfoliator also contains sour cream which is another source of glycolic acid and also gives the benefits of lactic acid.

What You Need

• 1 tbsp crushed sugar
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp honey

How To Use It

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl to form a thick paste.
2. Apply this mixture to clean skin and let it sit for 10 minutes.
3. Wash it off with warm water.
4. Tone and moisturise your skin.

It’s Salicylic, Silly

If you have acne prone skin that is oily too, salicylic acid is what you should be going for. This beta-hydroxy acid helps unclog pores, banish acne, remove blackheads, and exfoliate the skin – all at once. Mint leaves are an excellent source of this BHA and it also has a soothing and cooling effect on inflamed skin.

What You Need

• 1 cup mint leaves
• 3 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp buttermilk

How To Use It

1. Crush the mint leaves in a manual stone grinder.
2. Transfer the crushed leaves to a jar and add the grapeseed oil to it.
3. Stir and then let these two ingredients sit for 48 hours.
4. When it’s ready, scoop out one tablespoon of this mix from the jar and put it in a bowl.
5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of buttermilk to form a paste.
6. Apply this liberally on clean skin.
7. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

C To Your Skincare

Tomatoes have mild acids such as citric acid and salicylic acid – both of which work wonders on your skin. This simple chemical peel using tomatoes will help brighten your skin, remove tan, exfoliate dead skin cells, treat acne, and smoothen skin.

What You Need

• 1 tbsp tomato pulp
• 1 tbsp grated cucumber 
• 1 tbsp aloe vera gel

How To Use It

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl to form a thick paste.
2. Apply this paste to clean skin.
3. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
4. Wash it off with warm water.
5. Tone and moisturise your skin after.

If chemical peels aren’t your thing, try some amazing OTC face scrubs instead. We recommend:

Did you know these DIY chemical peels are not only effective exfoliators but also very gentle on the skin?

Featured Image: Pexels