It’s no surprise that when it comes to skin care, Americans are acid-obsessed. And until recently, topical products didn’t contain the same levels of acids you’d find in in-office treatments, but consumer demand pretty much evened the playing field. However, as I’ve been taught by the pros over the years, if you’re a skin-care novice and not sure what your skin can handle, don’t slather on the latest trend because it worked for your best friend. Trust the professionals.
But for those who fall in the more seasoned category, this new product is a must-try. Introducing OleHenriksen’s biggest launch of the year and most potent chemical exfoliation serum ever, Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment ($55), which is set to hit Sephora June 28. “It contains 10 percent alphahydroxy acid and 10 percent polyhydroxy acid, and this is the first time we’ve combined these two in a product,” says founder Ole Henriksen, adding that all skin types except sensitive can use it, even those with acne. “I had cystic acne as a young man, and a lot of people fear that chemical exfoliation will make their skin worse, but that is so wrong.”
Henriksen says the secret lies in the marriage of ingredients. “It’s all about the balance of the acids with other ingredients like aloe juice, birch sap, cotton water, licorice, and chamomile, which help soothe the skin rather than damage it. When we allow acids to work in a therapeutic environment like this, we can wake up to transformed skin.”
I love both the lemon custard texture, which sinks right into skin with a little bit of a tingling effect, and the sugary-lemon scent (the same as the brand’s popular Lemonade Smoothing Scrub). It made my skin look brighter and feel incredibly smooth, even after just one night of using it. It was the perfect reset when my skin felt dull and I wanted something that I knew would work fast.
Riva Barak, the brand’s senior director of product development, says clinical testing revealed impressive results: “Based on an eight-week study on 36 women, after four weeks, more than 90 percent of users agreed the product gave their skin a healthy glow, made it softer and smoother, retexturized their skin, and renewed their skin. It’s really a heavy-lifter for uneven texture, large pores, lines and wrinkles, and dark spots. Experienced topical acid users can use it every night, but it’s not for acid virgins.”
