Exfoliation can be tricky. Do you use a scrub, a peel or a mask—or all three? What about a physical exfoliant (scrubs that use salts, sugars, etc.) versus a chemical exfoliant (acids, fruit enzymes, etc.)? It takes some trial and error to find out which products and ingredients your skin responds to well and which ones it absolutely cannot tolerate, but one thing’s for sure: Glossier wants its new exfoliating skin perfector, Solution ($24), to win you over.
Custom-developed over the course of 15 months, the brand’s “most powerful formula yet” is a chemical exfoliant that blends alphahydroxy (lactic and glycolic), betahydroxy (salicylic) and polyhydroxy (gluconolactone) acids together to create a 10-percent potency. With daily use, the results are smoother and softer skin—it claims to be much gentler than physical exfoliants that can damage the skin’s surface) You can also expect to see “cleared acne and blackheads, smaller pores and reduced redness” thanks to the acids’ ability to rid the skin’s surface of dull, dead cells, as well unclog pores where dirt and bacteria get trapped.
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In a clinical trial conducted by the brand, three out of four daily users said their skin felt cleaner and softer after 24 hours, brighter after one week, and less red/more even in tone after three weeks. They also noticed their pores looked smaller and they had fewer blackheads, and, 94 percent of users who had acne said their skin was clearer after one month.
To use it, press a cotton pad (Glossier sells its Cotton Rounds for $4, or you can use your own) on top of the dispenser and to saturate it with product. Apply it all over your face and neck before bed after you wash your face and let it absorb for a couple minutes before layering on night cream or other products. Note: If you decide to use it in the morning, make sure to apply SPF on top before you leave the house, as acids can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight.
Still not convinced? Check out these compelling before-and-afters below.
Images/Glossier
Image/Glossier
