After a few too many sundowners (that inevitably lead to sunrisers) and the odd post Monday meeting meltdown, we got to feeling like maaaaybe we’ve been neglecting our skin a little. After all, we’re not 18 anymore and with the joys of ageing (and partying), come fine lines, dull skin and hangovers straight out of a horror movie.

Despite this, when we first heard about the concept of at home face peels aka acid exfoliators, we thought, “Oh hell no.” Acid? Face Peeling? It all sounded too much like something out of “Silence of the Lambs” for our liking. But when we saw that Kimmy K, Gisele Bundchen, Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow were all down with it, we started to come around.

For all of you acid virgins out there, this is the kind of intense exfoliation your skin needs to kick-start a hard core rejuvenation process. It sloughs off the very top and damaged layer of skin which makes it easier for smooth, even skin to show face.

So, we got testing, and put together a few tried and true favourites. A few housekeeping rules post-peel: Moisturise like a mofo and as per usual, go heavy on the SPF protection when you’re out in the sun. And if in doubt, always check in with your Dermatologist. With that in mind, let’s peel, people.

Dr. Jart Pore’s Gone Kit

Let’s just preface this review with the fact that we love Dr. Jart everything. Scrubs, BB creams, the best of the best. Also, anything that has the words “thermal crystal scrub” and “60 seconds”, and we’re pretty much sold. With a promise of smooth-as-a-babys-bum skin, this kit goes all Ciara with a 1-2 step. The crystal scrub opens up pores and removes dirt with for deep exfoliation and then for our favourite part? The 60-second peel. It’s a gel that’s applied directly over the scrub and massaged for 1 minute. 1 very hot minute.  Ahem. It bubbles while you apply, and feels super active which we love. This gets our #1 vote – left our skin feeling brighter, more even, super soft. Obsessed.

Dr. Lewins Reversaderm Micro-Cellular Age Correcting Peel

Aside from being a total mouthful, this bad boy pretty much hits the ball out of the park when it comes to smooth skin. We have been applying this to our skin twice a week for 20 minutes at a time and are happy to say we’ve noticed a big difference. It’s a super light chemical peel and you’ll see visible signs of a reduction in fine lines, brown (or sun) spots, an evening out of skin tone and an improved overall appearance.

Kiehl’s Overnight Biological Peel

This is a leave-on 10% glycolic acid and chemical peel, that we recommend if your skin is feeling really dull and lifeless. The leave on through the night is key…works while you sleep. Amen to that. And after using this for one night, our skin felt visibly brighter and our pores a little less noticeable. Used over time this little guy will work on dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. Double whammy! Side note: When you apply this to your skin, it does take a little while to dry, about 20 minutes to be exact, so make sure you’re not just whacking it on right before lights out.

Kerstin Florian Correcting Peel

For super fast, noticable results (because seriously, ain’t nobody got time to wait) these multi-acid, botanical peel pads have an immediate-acting exfoliation that’ll have you glowing in a post-coital way in no time.

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Medi-Spa Peel

Again with the Ciara 2-stepping, this is a double threat. The first is a pre-soaked peel pad to nourish and rejuvenate and the second (Firming Peptide Milk) neutralises and enhances the benefits of the first step.