originally by http://www.makeupartistschoice.com/

Chemical Peels:

Chemical peels are effective for anti aging skin care (treat wrinkles, lines, crow's feet, dull skin tones), to treat acne and acne scars, minimize pores, loosen blackheads, treat sun damaged skin, improve the appearance of stretch marks, fade age spots and general hyperpigmentaton, to rejuvenate and improve the tone and texture of your skin. Doing your chemical peel at home is convenient and cost effective.

How to choose the at home chemical peel that is right for you:

Mandelic Acid:  An alpha hydroxy acid derived from the bitter almond nut. This is a gentle acid which exfoliates the skin with very little topical discomfort. Excellent for inhibiting the formation of brown spots, and hyperpigmentation. Will not cause unwanted lightening of the skin in darker skin tones. Treat acne, melasma, sun damaged skin, large pores, blackheads, wrinkles, dull, sallow skin.

Lactic Acid: Derived from milk, milder than glycolic acid, and typically better for working on hyperpigmentation problems. Our formulation contains licorice extract, an effective skin lightening additive. Appropriate for dry skin or oily skin. An alpha hydroxy, this peel penetrates the epidermis-only. A great "first peel" for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin types. The inherent properties of this peel make it ideal for clients with uneven skin tones and general hyperpigmentation.

Glycolic Acid:  A bit more aggressive than lactic acids, this is also an alpha hydroxy peel and will penetrate the epidermis. Glycolic acid is a good all-around acid for normal-oily skin types to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, as well as addressing the issues of acne, acne scarring, wrinkles and fine lines.

Phytic Acid:  A superficial peel with exfoliating properties.  Desirable for skin types that cannot tolerate AHA's.  Derived from rice, this product is excellent for anti aging, skin smoothing, brightening, Melasma and general discolorations.  Acne clients will see skin clearing.  Those with PIH (post inflammatory hyper pigmentation) will see excellent results.

Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy):  Oil soluble, thus making these acids perfect for oily/acne skin that needs deep pore cleansing and loosening of blackheads. Use this as a "first-step" when using alpha hydroxy acid peels to remove all oils from the skin, or use alone 3/4 times per week for oil/blackhead control. A beta-hydroxy, this acid penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis only. For a stronger treatment, use our 15% salicylic acid peel once a week.