Chemical Peel Before & After: My First Time

Before last week, I had always wanted to get a chemical peel but was way too nervous to bite the bullet. I didn’t really know how it worked, I thought my skin was literally going to peel off, and wasn’t sure I needed one if I was using exfoliating products at home already. But after hearing so many friends rave about the treatment, I thought it was time to put my big girl pants on and try it out myself.

Here’s what my skin looked like before the peel. My face has actually been pretty clear over the past month and a half (knock on wood) but I definitely have texture issues and hyper-pigmentation from old blemishes that I have been working to clear up.

I was invited to try the treatment by Carrera, owner of Little Blackbird Skincare in Las Vegas. She explained to me that there are different levels of chemical treatments, from Progressive (beginner’s level) to Deep (highly corrective). She said as a first timer, it’s best to start out at the lowest level to see how your skin will react and work your way up. The Progressive peel focuses on the surface layer, though, so I wasn’t going to get dramatic results in terms of correcting my tone. However, the intense chemical exfoliation would help cell turnover, giving my personal skin care routine a boost for faster results.

The treatment started out like any other facial— with a gentle cleanse. Carrera used a moisturizing cleanser on me, since I have combo skin and a peel often causes a drying/tightening feeling. Then, we started the process which was a lot different than I imagined! She basically swiped on various acids and other products, let them sink in, then wiped them away. The first few products she used definitely caused a tingling sensation in specific areas of my face. She explained that you’ll often feel it most where you need it most. I realized that perhaps I had been ignoring the perimeters of my face when doing my own exfoliation at home, since that’s where I was feeling the effects the strongest.

The last few layers were the toughest— the Vitamin A got me to a 5/10 on the discomfort scale. However, the feeling intensified once the water was added to rinse. It re-activated it to a stronger sensation, though we fanned my skin off for a quick relief. After moisturizing and adding SPF, I had my glow on!

I wouldn’t say a chemical peel is relaxing like a facial is. The whole thing lasted under an hour, but because of the potential of discomfort and tightness, it’s really a treatment to get sh*t done… not necessarily to pamper yourself and chill.

The glow has lasted over a week— my skin just looks downright healthier. I had minimal peeling, which you can see in the video above, starting around my nose and mouth, then slightly on my nose and forehead. The first few days felt pretty tight, but reapplying SPF in the middle of the day helped refresh and moisturize. Either way, my skin was looking smooth and bright! My makeup was applying and blending much easier, as well. My face feel sooooo soft and I’m excited to see if my normal skin care routine works more efficiently now.

I would totally recommend a chemical peel if you’re not getting regular facials, you feel like your skin is looking dull or feeling rough. Ask as many questions as you can about post-care, as you’ll most likely have to tweak your routine. No exfoliating or retinol for at least a week, and extra SPF is needed!

I’m happy with my results and totally want to go back to venture into the deeper levels of peels. Meanwhile, you can win your very own chemical peel session with Carrera at Little Blackbird Skincare in Las Vegas! If you’re in the area, head over to the YouTube video page and follow the directions in the description to enter. The giveaway ends on March 7, 2018!

Have you ever tried a chemical peel? What was your experience like?