REVIEW: TonyMoly Floria Brightening Peeling Gel

 

Can’t believe it took me so long to get into peeling gels. I guess it’s the fact that they’re way more prevalent and popular in Asia than they are in the UK, so once I started paying attention to Korean skincare, peeling gels were hard to miss. Every cosmetic brand has their own version within most of their skincare lines.

So have to admit, before my recent trip to Korea, I had never exfoliated my skin. Ever. I just didn’t see the point, or really feel that I needed to since I was fairly happy with my skin condition and naively didn’t realize it could make a difference. I thought just a face cleanser would be enough.

But since then I’ve seen the light. I now use both chemical and physical exfoliators, both to great effect. I love how they make my skin feel afterwards.

Why exfoliate?

The purpose of exfoliating is to remove dead skin cells. Why do we need to do this? Well not only can it improve the texture and appearance of your skin, it can reduce breakouts by helping to unclog the buildup of oil and dirt in your pores and can provide a nice canvas for better absorption of other skincare products.

Chemical VS physical 

A chemical exfoliant works differently to a physical exfoliant. The latter can be slightly more abrasive as they usually contain microbeads or grains that you manually rub against your skin surface to physically remove the dirt and debris.

A chemical exfoliator like this peeling gel, utilizes enzymes and acids that are able to penetrate the upper layer of your skin to break down and dissolve dead skin cells. Common chemical ingredients used are fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA).

Product Info:

So this is a mild peeling gel with flower extract that comes in a squeeze tube of 150ml. I bought it in a TonyMoly shop in Seoul for 8,500 won equivalent to GBP£5.00/USD$7.30 approx.

This contains ingredients such as lactic acid and citric acid which are common forms of AHAs. It also has fruit and flower extract. It contains no alcohol which is great for those with irritated or dry skin.

Thoughts:

I’ve had this for over a month and I love using this Brightening Peeling Gel. Usually with a physical exfoliator it’s recommended to use only once a week because it can be too harsh and stripping for the skin. However since this is a mild and chemical peeling gel I use this once or twice a week in addition to my physical exfoliator. If my face is looking particularly dull, lifeless or oily I may increase the use of it. I wouldn’t have a problem using this 4 or 5 times a week it’s that gentle on the skin.

It has a clear gel like consistency and smells lovely and floral but not too overpowering. After making sure I have washed my face with a foam cleanser and pat dry, I apply a small blob to each area of my face and then rub it in and leave it to sit there for about 10 seconds. It spreads nice and easily. Then with clean dry hands, I gently massage and work the peeling gel into my skin with round circular motions. You’ll start to see it ball up and ‘peel’ as you do this.

Its such a satisfying feeling when you start to see the effect of it. It has a cooling sensation and doesn’t irritate or break me out. After I’ve washed it all off, my face instantly looks bright. Not bright as in changed colour. But my face has a glow and brightness from within and my skin doesn’t appear dull and lifeless. It feels and looks fresh. Not to mention my skin feels so soft after. The effects of this are wonderful! And yet, so so gentle. No dry or moisture stripped feeling. My skin still feels hydrated.

I don’t see any difference to my pores but I don’t expect to since I don’t have a huge problem with visible pores and the product does not claim to deal with them. If I want to target pores and sebum, I will generally use my Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.  Also, don’t expect this peeling gel to work miracles. Since it is so mild, I don’t think it really has an effect on acne/pimples or severe hyper pigmentation/redness and scars. It just gives an overall glow.

There are some people that are skeptical of peeling gels and believe it’s just the product that’s balling up and forming on the skin. However I’ve tested it out and also read other accounts to know it is a bit of both. Yes, it is partially product that’s balling up but I also believe it’s dead skin too because after massaging in, the peeling becomes an ashy grey colour sometimes which is the dirt in my skin and pores.

I tested it on my hand twice and the second time, not only was there less balling up, the gel had not changed colour because my skin in that area was already clean.

I’ve also noticed that when I first used it, I had so much grime peeling off. But when I used it regularly after that, sometimes every other day, there was a lot less peeling. Yet I always use the same amount of product on my face. Also, bloggers have tried testing it on plates and tables and other surfaces and it does not produce any peeling.

Thus, I think this product really works and is a staple product in my skincare routine that I’d never go without from now on. I may not stick with this brand because there are other peeling gels I would like to try. But the TonyMoly Floria Brightening Peeling Gel is great for if you want a temporary fresh brightening effect or have sensitive skin.