The biggest problem with microbeads is the little micro-tears that accumulate as you get older. There are a few studies that show that people recover less quickly when we age, so microbeads are a bad idea when I hit my 30s. Hence, I am more for exfoliating gel as part of my skin care now.
Q+A Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel
I got this at work on sale, and it has apple fruit extract and the exfoliating acids. The 3 common ones are malic acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid. All three are plant source and it is a vegan friendly product. If you have sensitive skin, you should still do a patch test. Even though it is supposed to be gentle, not all skin can handle it initially.
The back of the tube has more information and is made in the UK. The list of ingredients in the middle includes aloe vera leaf juice powder. Despite its gentleness, the exfoliating gel is not for sensitive skin.
When I first tried the gel, I felt the burn 20 seconds in and had to wash it off quickly. You rub the gel on a clean and dry face, massage for 20 to 30 seconds per instruction. The burning sensation is not pleasant, and it is a sign that the acids are working a little too well.
How does it compare with the Cure?
My favorite exfoliating gel is the Cure Exfoliating Gel (review link) because it is activated hydrogen water. TOYO Cure creates little pills of dead cells and is very satisfying to rub off, leaving you with clean skin without the burn.
The Q+A works by dissolving dead cells chemically. Hence, the usual culprits are here, because they are easy to extract from fruits and are cheap to produce.
Verdict
While I am not impressed by the Q+A Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel, it works well. I think that if you are starting out and learning about skincare, this is not a bad gel to try. It is gentle enough, unless you have sensitive skin.
For the price of less than $20, this is a good starter product as you explore your preferred products. But definitely try to avoid exfoliating beads, because they might hurt in the long run.
Side note:
I haven’t been posting because the site was down. Since I am just a hobby reviewer, I struggled to get it back up and running for a while. And with Christmas so near, things might get busy again =(
Copyright © 2022 Ailyn Writes. All Rights Reserved.
