As you might have seen on my Instagram last weekend, I had a chemical peel by an aesthetician. It sounds like a scary treatment, but it really isn’t that bad – i’ll be doing a post on my treatment next week. Exfoliating acid pads that you can buy in the shops are designed to have similar effects to a chemical peel, just much gentler. They are soaked in AHA acids to chemically exfoliate the outermost dead layers of skin, to reveal the youthful, smooth, even skin underneath. They are designed to be used daily (or several times per week) to maintain the removal of dead skin and keep your skin texture looking good and radiant. I wanted to share three lots of exfoliating acid pads that I love.Pixi Glow Tonic To-Go – £20, Pixi Beauty

You must have heard of the famous Pixi Glow Tonic – the acid  solution that you apply to a cotton pad yourself. Well, these are the ‘to-go’ version, and are pre-soaked for convenience. The AHA acid in these pads is 5% Glycolic (derived from sugar cane) to exfoliate and brighten, with added aloe vera to help soothe and hydrate the skin too. You see great results very quickly with these pads.B. Multi Acid Retexturising Facial Pads – £5.99, Superdrug

These are a great buy if you don’t want to spend much money, or just want to try out using an acid toner on your skin. They are also a great cruelty-free option too. They use Glycolic Acid, although it doesn’t specify the strength, as well as Citric Acids (from fruit). These are not as strong as the Pixi pads, but they will help to keep your texture and tone even, and your complexion bright.First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads – £25, Feel Unique

These were the original exfoliating acid pads that I used, and I still love them. These contain Lactic Acid (from milk) and Glycolic Acid – both great exfoliators and a great combo. They also contain cucumber and Indian Gooseberry to help even the tone of the skin, as well as lemon peel and licorice to brighten the skin. These are quite gentle and don’t sting very much, so I’d imagine they don’t have the same acid strength as the Pixi pads. They are, however, very effective.

If you are just starting out with acid toner, I’d recommend the First Aid Beauty Pads, to minimise the sting and dry skin side effects of AHA acids. However, if you don’t want to spend very much, Superdrug is a good shout. Once your skin has experienced acid toner for a while, move over to the Pixi pads, as these produce the best results.

You can see more of what I’m loving, and what I’m doing, over on my Instagram.