6 Best Chemical Peels for Sensitive Skin, Tested by Our Experts

Written by Anoushka Sinha, Skincare Coach & Writer
Updated on Feb 12, 2024
best chemical peel for sensitive skin
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Enhancing your natural skin texture and complexion is achievable with these best chemical peels for sensitive skin that feature mild and effective formulas. As per our skin specialists, using chemical peels can help reduce pigmentation, dark spots, and fine lines to reveal smooth and radiant skin. However, people with sensitive skin need to be extra careful before using any chemical peel as this skin type is highly reactive. Redness, burns, and inflammation are the major concerns, and that’s why you need these products that are meant for delicate skin. 

Using chemical peels works wonders on dull and lifeless skin as it gets rid of dead skin cells and unveils the natural radiance of your skin effortlessly. These products can also help diminish the appearance of sun spots and age spots and promote collagen production to give your skin a healthy-looking appearance. So, treat your delicate skin tenderly with these different types of chemical peels meant to make your skin sparkle effortlessly.

6 Best Chemical Peels for Sensitive Skin

Yeouth’s glycolic peel is an excellent pick to make your skin smooth and bright. It features an effective blend of green tea, retinol, and glycolic acid that works as a gentle exfoliator and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and deep wrinkles. The soothing formula of this product cleanses your skin deeply and removes dead skin cells, leaving your skin soft and plump. With the gentle composition of this peel, you can keep dirt and impurities at bay. So, bid goodbye to dull and lifeless skin, as this beauty works like magic to make your skin youthful-looking. 

 

Pros
  • Soothing formula
  • Toxic-Twelve free
  • Helps shrink pores
Cons
  • Slower results
  • Best Paraben-free Formula

    VOIBELLA BEAUTY Advanced Anti-aging Glycolic Acid Peel

    VOIBELLA BEAUTY Advanced Anti-aging Glycolic Acid Peel
  • Designed to give dull and rough skin a revitalized appearance, this peel by VOIBELLA BEAUTY works wonders to ease dark spots, wrinkles, clogged pores, and uneven skin tone. Owing to the addition of active ingredients like lactic acid, glycolic acid, and pyruvic acid, this anti-aging peel boosts the appearance of your skin to make it younger-looking and spotless. The mild formula of this peel ensures that the natural barrier of your skin is taken care of. After testing out this product, we found that this product can also help diminish the appearance of acne scarring and blemishes. Flaunt your innate glow effortlessly!

     

    Pros
    • Evens out skin tone
    • Paraben-free
    • Sulfate-free
    • Cruelty-free
    • Mild formula
    Cons
    • Slower results
  • Best Alcohol-free Formula

    Instaderm Anti-Aging Exfoliating Peel Pads

    Instaderm Anti-Aging Exfoliating Peel Pads
  • Rejuvenate your skin with these exfoliating peel pads by Instaderm. These pads are crafted with glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and lactic acid to renew your skin texture and make it soft and vibrant. These strong additives are highly effective in retaining the moisture of your skin to keep it fresh and bouncy. This lactic acid peel also features an effective infusion of cucumber fruit extract and grapefruit peel extract that makes it a great pick for eliminating enlarged pores and oily skin. Give your skin the best treatment, as these peels come in handy to smoothen out your skin.

     

    Pros
    • Alcohol-free
    • Sulfate-free
    • Paraben-free
    • Cruelty-free
    • Anti-aging formula
    Cons
    • Strong odor
  • Best Nourishing Formula

    Nuva Botanicals Glycolic Acid Resurfacing Pads

     Nuva Botanicals Glycolic Acid Resurfacing Pads
  • You can hydrate your skin deeply with these resurfacing pads by Nuva Botanicals to make your skin look soft. The key ingredient, glycolic acid, combats cell damage to maintain the youthful appearance of your skin. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, glycolic peels have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It also features a rich infusion of castor oil, vitamin E, vitamin C, and witch hazel that work synergistically to refine your skin texture and make it plump and bright. Meant to suit all skin types, it’s a perfect product for giving your skin a quick dose of hydration.

    Pros
    • Minimizes dark spots
    • Helps shrink pore size
    • Smooths your skin
    • Nourishing formula
    • Easy to use
    Cons
    • None
  • Best Vegan Pick

    DERMA-E Gentle Enzyme Peel

    DERMA-E Gentle Enzyme Peel
  • This enzyme peel by DERMA-E dissolves dead skin cells and cleanses clogged pores to make your complexion fresh and bright. Loaded with pineapple and papaya fruit extracts, it calms your skin and prevents the protective barrier from irritations. The rich formula of this product containing milk thistle and licorice uplifts your natural skin tone and gives it a youthful-looking sparkle and smoothness. Prep your skin and give it a polished appearance with this enzyme peel.

     

    Pros
    • Soothing formula
    • Refreshing composition
    • Vegan
    • Cruelty-free
    • Dermatologist-recommended
    Cons
    • May get clumped
  • Best for Reducing Blemishes

    Skin Beauty Solutions Salicylic Acid Skin Peel

    Skin Beauty Solutions Salicylic Acid Skin Peel
  • You can attain smooth and plump skin with this skin peel by Skin Beauty Solutions. It’s equipped with an active ingredient, salicylic acid, that helps reduce inflammation, acne scars, blemishes, whiteheads, and clogged pores effectively, leaving your skin firm and strong. This serum contains gentle peeling agents that make it a go-to for sensitive skin. Make your skin naturally healthy and fresh as this product is tailored to perfection for retaining the beauty and charm of your skin.

    Pros
    • Helps reduce blemishes
    • Effectively treats sun damage
    • Doesn’t contain artificial fragrance
    • Artificial color free
    • Treats blackheads 
    Cons
    • None

    How to Choose the Best Chemical Peel for Sensitive Skin?

    1. Read the Label

    One of the most important factors to consider before buying the best chemical peel for sensitive skin is ensuring that it’s free from toxic chemicals and additives. Using peels containing harsh agents can cause inflammation and allergies that can weaken the protective barrier of your skin.  Instaderm Anti-Aging Exfoliating Peel Pads is a great pick to steer clear of harmful chemicals.

    2. Check the Ingredient List

    Another important factor to consider before buying the best chemical peel for sensitive skin is assessing the ingredients used to make the peel. Lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, green tea, etc., are some of the agents to look for in a chemical peel for sensitive skin. VOIBELLA BEAUTY Advanced Anti-aging Glycolic Acid Peel is a great pick formulated with mild and effective ingredients to even out your skin tone without exposing it to harsh chemicals.

    3. Assess the Budget

    Price range is another factor you can keep in mind while buying the best chemical peel for sensitive skin. Price may vary depending on the quantity, usage, and active ingredients used. You can start with a small pack and do the patch test to ensure your skin isn’t getting rashes and allergies.

    How to Use the Best Chemical Peel for Sensitive Skin?

    Step 1: Cleanse your face with a mild cleanser.

    Step 2: Follow up with a hydrating moisturizer to seal in the moisture of your skin.

    Step 3: Apply sunscreen for extra protection.

    Step 4: Use an appropriate amount of chemical peel and let it sit on your skin as per the instructions given on the product.

    Conclusion

    Achieving flawless skin is a satisfying experience when you’re not exposing your skin’s natural barrier to a lot of chemicals. Finding the right chemical peels for sensitive skin is especially tricky and challenging. With these best chemical peels for sensitive skin, you’re in for a rich exfoliating experience. These feature mild formulas and effective cleansing properties to eliminate damaged skin cells, blemishes, and enlarged pores. Easy to use, these are must-haves to upgrade your sensitive skincare regimen. Happy Glowing!

    FAQ's

    When should you start using chemical peels?
    You can start using chemical peels at the age of 25 or 26 years.
    How long can chemical peel results last?
    It can last from 1-2 months, depending on the ingredients and formulation.
    What type of peel is gentle on sensitive skin?
    Mild peels formulated with lactic acid are gentle on sensitive skin.
    How often should you use a chemical peel?
    You can use a chemical peel every 3-6 weeks.
    Is chemical peel better than facial peel?
    Chemical peels target skin concerns effectively. However, facial peels may be more relaxing than chemical peels.

    Why Trust Pinkvilla

    Anoushka, our in-house skincare expert, believes that chemical peels can be highly effective in reviving lifeless and dull skin. However, she feels sensitive skin can suffer from unpleasant reactions after using harsh chemical peels. Hence, she explored various chemical peels meant for sensitive skin types that can eliminate dead skin cells and facilitate better cell turnover without causing any allergic reaction. After researching extensively, she suggested some products to her friends. Yeouth Glycolic Acid 30% Gel Peel became a common favorite for its gentle formulation. It’s free from parabens, sulfates, and fragrance, so all the more reasons to use it on sensitive skin.

    Author BIO
    reviewer
    Anoushka Sinha
    Skincare Coach & Writer

    Anoushka is certified in Professional Skincare and is a Mass Media (Journalism) graduate from Mumbai University. As a More