Review: Mizon AHA 8% Peeling Serum
Even after my disappointing experience with Paula's Choice AHA lotion (reviewed here), I still wanted to add an AHA product to my skincare routine to help even out hyperpigmentation and eliminate my whiteheads. After reading some online reviews I opted to try a Korean brand that's slowly becoming a dependable staple of my skincare collection. I first encountered Mizon for its eye creams (reviewed here and here) but have happily had a chance to try many more of their products since. Roseroseshop is becoming my go-to retailer for its huge online inventory as well as current free shipping for all Mizon products.
My previous experience with the 5% AHA proved my skin isn't particular sensitive so I didn't feel shy about ordering a higher percent (8%). The dropper included with Mizon's AHA 8% Peeling Serum sealed the deal because my biggest complaint about the Paula's Choice lotion was its thick texture & slow absorption. My dry skin loves liquids/serums and soaks them up quickly, perfect for minimizing the time I spend on my lengthy and multi-layered skincare routine. Seeing the serum would really be a fluid was the main reason I chose this AHA product.
The opaque 40 ml bottle and dropper system has an interesting feature with a button at the end of the dropper that depresses automatically as you screw it back onto the bottle and then pops back up as you unscrew the dropper. In other words, the serum is drawn up into the dropper by itself in the same amount each time in advance of the next time I use it. However, if I'm sloppy at jamming the dropper back into the small opening, some of the serum gets onto the rim, gradually leaks over the edges & contributes to a sticky pool around the area. It was fun and interesting at first, but I've since gotten impatient at the time needed to carefully screw the dropper back on and I'm overall neutral about this feature now.
CosDNA reveals practically no acne triggers (only a "1" from butylene glycol) in the ingredient list. I definitely want to mention the active ingredient is glycolic acid, one of the "stronger" acids for exfoliation so starting right off the bat with an 8% concentration may be a bit much for those who've never tried any type of acid before. With my own strips I tested this AHA serum to run around pH 4, slightly less than usual skin pH so perfect for decreasing my facial alkalinity and helping maintain the moisture barrier without being too harsh.
I've used this serum after cleansing/toning (and before moisturizer) once per day over 3 months and haven't had any long-term adverse or unexpected reactions (redness, itch, etc). Sometimes I feel a slight sting on my face, but it wears off after a few seconds and seems typical of most acids. There's no smell or fragrance, which is perfect. Within 5 minutes I can feel the majority of the serum absorbed into my skin so I can start adding other products over it. I experimented with application in the morning, afternoon & evening as well as under BB cream and other moisturizers/creams and here's a few observations:
(1) If applying in the morning, it's best to get successive skincare/make-up products (moisturizer, BB cream/foundation, powder) on within an hour of using this serum. Because it works quickly I've found trying to apply other products over it after a lengthy wait time can cause my sloughing skin to mix with the other layers over it. They call this a "Peeling Serum" for a good reason! However, if I apply everything promptly onto my face and don't rub at it throughout the day, no one is the wiser about my skin exfoliating underneath my make-up! It's clear the serum texture is not what makes it potentially clash with other products but the result of dead skin flaking off when I wait too long to add lotion/cream over it.
(2) An obvious way I can tell this AHA works at peeling off dead skin is when I'm double cleansing. After applying my oil cleanser and rubbing it around, I've found the sloughed skin rolls up quickly under my fingers. In a way, it's like getting extra mechanical exfoliation because I'm rubbing the balls of dead cells around my face! (Sorry if that image is gross, haha...)
(3) If this is your first time using an AHA or glycolic acid, it's better to start slowly with a 1x/week application, followed by 2x/week, etc and work your way up to daily. Some folks may never get to daily use because of skin sensitivity, but mine has been remarkably compatible with this serum. Using a sunscreen with good SPF is also crucial because AHA will increase sun sensitivity and the last thing we want is for hyperpigmentation to get darker!
In the end I found it's better for me to use this peeling serum in the afternoon after I wash off my work day make-up. This minimizes the chance of my skin sloughing during the day while I'm outside the house and especially if I don't get to cleanse until late at night. I suppose night time is a good alternative to use this serum but I'm usually tired and trying to speed through my skincare routine so I can plop into bed. Basically, I'd rather get my daily AHA out of the way as soon as I get home in the late afternoon/early evening. I do a final gentle cleanse with a CeraVe cleanser (reviewed here) to make sure I'm getting rid of the AHA skin peelies and have a clean slate to apply my nighttime products.
Now as to performance...
I tried to judge this serum based on how it lightened acne scars and helped with black/whiteheads. (Even though AHA is supposed to be anti-aging I'm not dealing with wrinkles yet, whew!) My yellow-toned skin tends to tan more than redden and hyperpigmentation always lingers a long time. (As an example, I once had a benign mole on my leg removed and was assured by the doctor the scar would fade after 2 months. It's now going on 14 months and it's only lightened about half-way >_<.) The majority of my blackheads are on and beside my nose and my whiteheads can be found between my nose/lips and below my lower lip.
Because I started using a BHA product several months before adding this AHA I tried to separate one from another in terms of performance. While it's true my pores now appear smaller and my cheeks are smoother (& less red) I feel the BHA is the main cause rather than this AHA product. Unfortunately, after 3 months of daily use I still can't detect a significant difference in how quickly my pigmentation lightens. My acne spots still faded at the same rate and since I use other skin whitening products (BHA, Vitamin C, arbutin etc) I can't recommend this peeling serum based on how quickly it fades my scars.
However..
I did notice within a few weeks of use that the density of my whiteheads decreased by about half. The more stubborn and deeper whiteheads haven't budged but when I purse my lips inward I can see a slightly smoother texture. It's too bad this 8% wasn't strong enough to eliminate all of my whiteheads, but I'll take this modest improvement! My make-up in those areas applies more evenly now. =)
So my conclusion is that this AHA serum does improve the quality of my skin, mainly through fast & gentle exfoliation and decreasing whiteheads, but not necessarily for speeding up the fading of my acne scars. I do acknowledge the freak nature of how stubborn my pigmented skin can be, though, so I don't consider it a waste of time to use this product. I will likely repurchase this 8% Peeling Serum because I still believe in the power of AHAs but will continue my search for other effective ways to lighten my hyperpigmentation faster. The fast absorbing quality of this serum is attractive and easy to incorporate into my routine.
For non-acne-prone folks (with pretty even skin tone) I believe Mizon's version of AHA can be a sure bet!
The opaque 40 ml bottle and dropper system has an interesting feature with a button at the end of the dropper that depresses automatically as you screw it back onto the bottle and then pops back up as you unscrew the dropper. In other words, the serum is drawn up into the dropper by itself in the same amount each time in advance of the next time I use it. However, if I'm sloppy at jamming the dropper back into the small opening, some of the serum gets onto the rim, gradually leaks over the edges & contributes to a sticky pool around the area. It was fun and interesting at first, but I've since gotten impatient at the time needed to carefully screw the dropper back on and I'm overall neutral about this feature now.
CosDNA reveals practically no acne triggers (only a "1" from butylene glycol) in the ingredient list. I definitely want to mention the active ingredient is glycolic acid, one of the "stronger" acids for exfoliation so starting right off the bat with an 8% concentration may be a bit much for those who've never tried any type of acid before. With my own strips I tested this AHA serum to run around pH 4, slightly less than usual skin pH so perfect for decreasing my facial alkalinity and helping maintain the moisture barrier without being too harsh.
I've used this serum after cleansing/toning (and before moisturizer) once per day over 3 months and haven't had any long-term adverse or unexpected reactions (redness, itch, etc). Sometimes I feel a slight sting on my face, but it wears off after a few seconds and seems typical of most acids. There's no smell or fragrance, which is perfect. Within 5 minutes I can feel the majority of the serum absorbed into my skin so I can start adding other products over it. I experimented with application in the morning, afternoon & evening as well as under BB cream and other moisturizers/creams and here's a few observations:
(1) If applying in the morning, it's best to get successive skincare/make-up products (moisturizer, BB cream/foundation, powder) on within an hour of using this serum. Because it works quickly I've found trying to apply other products over it after a lengthy wait time can cause my sloughing skin to mix with the other layers over it. They call this a "Peeling Serum" for a good reason! However, if I apply everything promptly onto my face and don't rub at it throughout the day, no one is the wiser about my skin exfoliating underneath my make-up! It's clear the serum texture is not what makes it potentially clash with other products but the result of dead skin flaking off when I wait too long to add lotion/cream over it.
(2) An obvious way I can tell this AHA works at peeling off dead skin is when I'm double cleansing. After applying my oil cleanser and rubbing it around, I've found the sloughed skin rolls up quickly under my fingers. In a way, it's like getting extra mechanical exfoliation because I'm rubbing the balls of dead cells around my face! (Sorry if that image is gross, haha...)
(3) If this is your first time using an AHA or glycolic acid, it's better to start slowly with a 1x/week application, followed by 2x/week, etc and work your way up to daily. Some folks may never get to daily use because of skin sensitivity, but mine has been remarkably compatible with this serum. Using a sunscreen with good SPF is also crucial because AHA will increase sun sensitivity and the last thing we want is for hyperpigmentation to get darker!
In the end I found it's better for me to use this peeling serum in the afternoon after I wash off my work day make-up. This minimizes the chance of my skin sloughing during the day while I'm outside the house and especially if I don't get to cleanse until late at night. I suppose night time is a good alternative to use this serum but I'm usually tired and trying to speed through my skincare routine so I can plop into bed. Basically, I'd rather get my daily AHA out of the way as soon as I get home in the late afternoon/early evening. I do a final gentle cleanse with a CeraVe cleanser (reviewed here) to make sure I'm getting rid of the AHA skin peelies and have a clean slate to apply my nighttime products.
Now as to performance...
I tried to judge this serum based on how it lightened acne scars and helped with black/whiteheads. (Even though AHA is supposed to be anti-aging I'm not dealing with wrinkles yet, whew!) My yellow-toned skin tends to tan more than redden and hyperpigmentation always lingers a long time. (As an example, I once had a benign mole on my leg removed and was assured by the doctor the scar would fade after 2 months. It's now going on 14 months and it's only lightened about half-way >_<.) The majority of my blackheads are on and beside my nose and my whiteheads can be found between my nose/lips and below my lower lip.
Because I started using a BHA product several months before adding this AHA I tried to separate one from another in terms of performance. While it's true my pores now appear smaller and my cheeks are smoother (& less red) I feel the BHA is the main cause rather than this AHA product. Unfortunately, after 3 months of daily use I still can't detect a significant difference in how quickly my pigmentation lightens. My acne spots still faded at the same rate and since I use other skin whitening products (BHA, Vitamin C, arbutin etc) I can't recommend this peeling serum based on how quickly it fades my scars.
However..
I did notice within a few weeks of use that the density of my whiteheads decreased by about half. The more stubborn and deeper whiteheads haven't budged but when I purse my lips inward I can see a slightly smoother texture. It's too bad this 8% wasn't strong enough to eliminate all of my whiteheads, but I'll take this modest improvement! My make-up in those areas applies more evenly now. =)
So my conclusion is that this AHA serum does improve the quality of my skin, mainly through fast & gentle exfoliation and decreasing whiteheads, but not necessarily for speeding up the fading of my acne scars. I do acknowledge the freak nature of how stubborn my pigmented skin can be, though, so I don't consider it a waste of time to use this product. I will likely repurchase this 8% Peeling Serum because I still believe in the power of AHAs but will continue my search for other effective ways to lighten my hyperpigmentation faster. The fast absorbing quality of this serum is attractive and easy to incorporate into my routine.
For non-acne-prone folks (with pretty even skin tone) I believe Mizon's version of AHA can be a sure bet!
Summary
- Packaging: 4/5 (hygienic; set volume of product with each dispense)
- Smell: 5/5 (can't detect anything, yay!)
- Performance: 3.5/5 (good for whiteheads/exfoliation; meh with lightening)
- Value/Price: 5/5 (~$12 + shipping for 40ml on Roseroseshop)
- Recommend? Yes (for fast/gentle exfoliation and decreased whiteheads)
- Repurchase? Yes
Very helpful review - thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Thanks for reading 😊
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