Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 8% AHA Exfoliant, Gel Exfoliant with Glycolic Acid Chamomile & Green Tea, Leave On Gentle Face Exfoliator for All Skin Types, Fragrance- Free

I absolutely adore this stuff. I have had skin issues and blemishes for over a decade and my skin is finally much clearer than I ever thought possible and that is completely thanks to chemical exfoliation.If you cannot afford Paula's Choice I highly recommend CorSx or other asian beauty brands that have AHA/BHA that are cheaperThis is the first AHA I tried, and it is the only AHA I use now. It prevents acne, improves my skin texture and helps me get rid of CCsImportant: if you have closed comedones (those little black things in your nose that you might think are blackheads) chemical exfoliation and oil cleansing could be a miraculous thing for you (as it was for me)The strange way I oil cleanse with this product to get as many grits as possible (grits are CCs, sebum, dead skin that you can get out of your skin with oil cleansing, it is so wonderfully satisfying and fun to do this! please try this at least once to see how your skin responds, my skin looks so clear and smooth the day after it's amazing).apply Paula's Choice BHA 2% (or a similar product, stridex in the red box works as well but only in the red box and not the green because the green does not have the proper PH, if you are new to any of this I highly recommend researching online!) - wait 20 minutes for it to workapply Paula's Choice AHA 8% - wait 20 minutes (a lot of people say you don't have to wait, but I find it makes a huge difference - also you could just use one of these, but I've found that both together yield the best results.)apply your oil of choice, I use: Life-Flo Organic Pure Safflower Oil, 16 Ounce it has plenty of 'slip,' and gets me more grits than any other oil (I also mix the oil with other oils like rosehip if I feel like it) - wait five minutes (you can skip that if you're sick of waiting)now massage your face!! so much stuff will come out it's insane. after you do that for at least 5-10 minutes (be gentle! don't rub your face too harshly) - wash your face with a good cleanser (I prefer Cerave foaming cleanser because it has a low ph and it is good for acne-prone skin - also, cleansers should not make your face feel tight or 'squeaky' at all! do not strip your skin) - I also use a konjac sponge for gentle removal (I get these for 89 cents on ebay).Other people recommend putting on a mask like the aztec healing clay mask (which I don't recommend for dry skin) between oil cleansing and the chemical exfoliation for more grits, but that has not worked for me so I don't use the mask.I do this kind of reverse process (normally you apply chemical exfoliators after you cleanse) at least three times a week and my closed comedones are significantly diminished if not entirely gone! (they refill themselves if you stop, there's no permanent way to remove them so this is the best method I've found for emptying them).If you have acne, if you have skin-texture issues, if you want clearer, healthier skin - this product is a must for you! Chemical exfoliation is much gentler than physical exfoliation and much more effective in my experience.This is a holy grail product for me and I urge you to try it out! (IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are new to chemical exfoliants please work up to using it multiple times a week! don't stress your skin out by using it constantly and only use it once a day. Make sure to use plenty of sunscreen with an AHA because it will make your skin more photosensitive!)