My Mom, 54, and I, 26, Just Achieved Our Glowiest Skin Ever With These Nonirritating Peel Pads

They say mothers know best, so when my mom first told me of her love for Drmtlgy—a medical-grade skincare brand shaped by dermatologists—I immediately took note. Ever since trying the Needle-less Serum six years ago, she’s been hooked. She’s purchased almost every product the brand has ever made and keeps her countertop as well-stocked as Ulta. After my particularly bad bout of contact dermatitis two years ago from repeatedly testing new skincare formulas in the dead of winter (the woes of a beauty editor with chronically dry skin), my mom lent me her Drmtlgy Barrier Repair Mask. Within days, my angry red splotches and flaky spots were gone. With that, Drmtlgy made a fan out of me too.

While my career exposes my skin to plenty of subpar formulas, Drmtlgy’s products have yet to fall out of my favor. So when I heard that the brand was launching its version of a peel pad—a gentle, sensitive skin–friendly alternative to chemical peels—both my mother and I jumped at the chance to try it ourselves. Between my 26-year-old complexion and her 54-year-old skin, we gave the Drmtlgy FacialRX Daily Peel Pads a fair trial, testing them for a week at the height of summer to see how our similarly sensitive barriers fared.

Toner pads are nothing new to the world of skincare, but this new wave of gentle peel pads, from Dr. Dennis Gross’s famous Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pads to Innbeauty Project’s Skin Prep Exfoliating Pads, takes the category a step further. While I’ve enjoyed using other brands’ mini chemical peels in a jar, I ultimately found them best for degunking my skin at the end of the day versus overhauling the entire surface. I can’t say these acid-soaked pads will deliver the same results as an office-level chemical peel, but I can promise they offer a comparable glow. In fact, I was caught off guard by my own reflection on the very first day I used these because I’d completely forgotten that I’d started the day with one of these little pads. My skin looked unnaturally ethereal and glowy.

The pads themselves are textured with seersucker-like ridges, offering an element of physical exfoliation along with chemical: a combination of lactic, mandelic, salicylic, and succinic acids. With slow, circular motions, the pads slowly release the acid-soaked formula into the skin, working in real time to sweep away dead skin cells and reveal the glowing layer beneath.

“They actually tingled a bit,” my mom texted me after trying them for the first time. “I definitely couldn’t use them every day—maybe twice a week max.” Her guesstimate would be right, as the brand instructs people with dry and normal skin to use them two to three times maximum each week, and those with oily or combination complexions can use them up to twice daily. If you’re sensitive like us, you’ll be fine to begin using them once or twice per week—allowing several days in between—before increasing frequency. However, you should consult your dermatologist if you are unsure whether this product will be too strong for your barrier.

While my mom felt a bit of initial discomfort when applying these pads to her mature skin, she feels that the benefits far outweigh the small inconvenience. “My skin did feel very smooth, with a nice texture and glow the next day,” she reflects. “I know with continuous use, they would make a difference.”

In as little as one use, both my 20-something and her 50-something complexions shone exponentially brighter and possessed a healthy, lit-from-within radiance. I didn’t even use foundation the evening after my first try! Within a week, we noticed other changes: Our texture was nearly indistinguishable, our tones looked far more even—a feat under the summer sun—and our skin looked and felt smoother to the touch.

Like most of Drmtlgy’s products, these peels are reasonably priced at just $38, which is partially why my mother and her friends continue to turn to this brand over others time and again. If effective, cost-efficient products are up your alley, keep scrolling to discover the other Drmtlgy products my mom and I use to stock our shelves, and don’t forget to nab the FacialRX Daily Peel Pads before they inevitably sell out.

Shop More Drmtlgy Products My Mom and I Love