My Skin Tips

How to Wash Your Face After a Chemical Peel?

Post-procedure, your skin might look a bit red. It's best to skip face washing for the initial 24 hours. When you do cleanse, opt for a mild product.
How to Wash Your Face After a Chemical Peel?

With autumn on its way, your skin sees less sun – making it an ideal time for a skin peel. This affordable and safe procedure, recommended by many estheticians, can help even out your skin tone. It involves applying a potent exfoliant to your face, and you might feel a mild tingle – that's the skin renewing. Proper aftercare is key. Wondering how to cleanse your face after a peel? Keep reading!

Step-by-Step Guide

Don’t be surprised, but the natural healing process lasts about 7 to 10 days, depending on the type of chemical peel, age, lifestyle, and hormones. At this time, your skin is very vulnerable and requires extremely gentle care. Otherwise, you can catch the infection or end up with scars. Follow the instructions, and you will get back on track sooner than you expect.

Day 1 of Post-Chemical Peeling Recovery

Right after the procedure, your skin may appear redder than usual, and it’s a common reaction. We highly encourage you to avoid washing your face within the first 24 hours. The next day you can use a gentle cleanser. Make sure it doesn’t contain any of the harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin. It is best to check the list of ingredients and avoid products with aggressive sulfates, fragrances, beta hydroxy acids, or alpha hydroxy acids. Our team is always glad to serve you, and we collect the most gentle cleansers.

This is a gentle cleanser with a milky, non-foaming texture. There is no need for double cleansing, as this product perfectly dissolves makeup and dirt. Simple ingredient listing and is reasonably priced. La Roche-Posay cleanser suits highly sensitive skin after a chemical peel.

Get It on Amazon

If your skin is prone to allergies, then Red Better Cleansing will meet your expectations with no adverse reaction. This product is hypoallergenic as it doesn’t contain parabens, preservatives, fragrances, dyes, and phthalates. Soft and gentle. It leaves your skin sparkling clean with no feeling of tightness or dryness.

Get It on Amazon

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser can become your new go-to. It leaves the skin really refreshed, clean, and soft. The list of ingredients is impressive. Upon checking, you may find Coco-Glucoside. This is a well-known surfactant – biodegradable and mild to the skin. It also contains antioxidants, emollients, and humectants.

Get It on Amazon

Day 2 to 7 of Post Chemical Peeling Recovery

After 2 to 3 days of the procedure, you may expect your skin to start peeling. That’s a very good sign! A “new skin” is on the way to make your face glow and smooth. Be patient, and don’t pick off flaky skin. It only lasts 2 to 5 days and can be easily controlled with a good hydrating moisturizer or a special ointment prescribed by your dermatologist.

Keep washing your face two times a day – morning and night. Make sure the water is slightly warm as hot may irritate and dry out your skin, and cold doesn’t allow the pores to open. Avoid using any rough materials like sponges or washcloths. Scrubbing your face will not eliminate more dirt or oil but only worsen the process of healing.

Day 7 to 10 of Post Chemical Peeling Recovery

Most skin-stripping should be done on the seventh day, and your face would look slightly red. You can start wearing mascara or lipstick. The only thing you should avoid is using a heavy foundation or concealer. Your skin is still regenerating and can’t resist harsh friction on your cheeks.

You can use alcohol-free micellar water to remove makeup from the eyes. Pour it into a cotton pad, then gently press the pad over your closed eyes for a few seconds and slowly swipe toward the outer corner of the eyes. If you think that micellar water doesn’t do its job well, you can try cleansing oil. Just use your fingers to apply the oil to the closed eyes, gently massage it for a minute, and then rinse it off. Finally, use a cleanser followed by a thick layer of unscented moisturizer all over your face.

About the author
Mari Bash

All Beauty in One Digest

Get expert skincare tips, ingredient insights, and product reviews

My Skin Tips

Great! You’ve successfully signed up.

Welcome back! You've successfully signed in.

You've successfully subscribed to My Skin Tips.

Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.

Success! Your billing info has been updated.

Your billing was not updated.