Wash and Exfoliate with NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash

Hi everybody,

Last month, the kind folks from NeoStrata were gracious to furnish me a bottle of NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash. Since my skin has a tendency to congest and form zits, I was more than delighted to give this product a chance. The NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash is an anti-aging and soap free self-foaming cleanser that contains 18% glycolic acid and 2% lactobionic acid. This is a stronger cleanser than a lot of products out there that contains hydroxyacids.

NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash (3.4 fl. oz, $32 USD)

Now, the main question is: does it work? Wanna know? Jump!

Description and caution 

First of all, with this product, you don't have to lather in order for it to foam up. It is already self-foaming

...like this! That's how much you get with one pump

It is light and fluffy. The scent is very mild. I notice how much I need to use depends on how congested my skin is. On the days my skin is rougher, I need two pumps to clean my face. However, on a clear day, I only need a pump and a half.

Ingredient list

The chemical exfoliants in this products are glycolic acid and lactobionic acid. Glycolic acid is an AHA (alpha-hydroxyacid) and lactobionic acid is a PHA (poly hydroxyacid.) Since the PHA has smaller molecular sizes, the exfoliation action gets deeper into the sub-layers of the stratum corneum, the top layer of your skin.With 18% glycolic acid, this product is not for novice users of the alpha-hydroxyacid cleansers. I hesitated at first since my skin tend to be sensitive when it gets colder. However, I did not experience any break outs since I started using it. About a week after I started using it, my skin had this nice rosy glow. Sadly, I was in the middle of battling to 50,000 words and my skincare routine was less than perfect. As a result, my skin reverted to its earlier state but with less pimples. Once NaNoWriMo was over, I used the Foaming Glycolic Wash again and my skin has never looked better.

Although this product is designed to use once or twice daily, I gauge how my skin feels and decide whether I should use it. The thing is, if you have sensitive skin like me, washing your face too frequently with AHA may thin your skin out too much. Once my skin reached its optimal status, I use the Foaming Glycolic Wash two to three times a week. So far, my skin has been clear and the moisturizers I use are working better.

Since one of the ingredients is SD alcohol, I can smell a faint rubbing alcohol scent. At first, I was afraid it would dry out my skin. However, after cleaning, my skin feels just right. It is neither oily nor dry but very comfortable, thanks to glycerin and butylene glycol. The cleansing ingredient is cocamidopropyl betaine, a medium-strength sulfactant derived from coconut oil. Also, I noticed arginine, an amino acid. The last two ingredients, methylparaben and chlorphenesin, are preservatives.

One note of precaution: since this product contains AHA and PHA, you should not use it in conjuction with another product that contains either salicylic acid, a beta-hydroxyacid, or retinol. AHA, BHA, PHA, and retinol are exfoliators and using these products together may over-thin out the stratum corneum. Also, please use sunscreen before heading out of the house to protect your newly exfoliated skin from having sunburn.

As a product that contains chemical exfoliators, the NeoStrata Foaming Glycolic Wash does a nice job exfoliating my face without being too abrasive. Since I started using it, my face actually has a nice glow. Now, I'm glad to say I don't need to use foundation that often.

Disclosure: this product was provided for PR purposes. The experience and opinions in this post, however, are mine.

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