This Clarifying Peel Transformed My Skin in a Week & I Have the Photos to Prove It
Chloe is the Content Specialist at Adore Beauty. She spends most of her time crafting scroll-stopping content, but outside of work, you'll find her building on her Glasshouse collection, hanging out with her fur babies and probably cleaning. Her all-time favourite products include the Alpha-H Liquid Gold and Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil.
As an oily skin-haver, my bathroom cabinet is piled with a vast array of AHA and BHA products.
Why, you ask? (And sorry, what are you talking about?)
I was once someone who religiously scrubbed off the epidermis of my skin, thinking it would get rid of all the little bumps and breakouts.
Then I discovered the world of chemical exfoliants like alpha hydroxy acids (or AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHAs).
Not to be dramatic, but they've changed my life and skin for the better.
Recently, my usually oily skin decided to throw a curveball at me, serving breakouts and tight, tired skin.
Textbook dehydrated skin, a concern that's very foreign to me, having lived my life with the total opposite thus far.
This might be off-topic and a bit woo-woo, but I truly believe the universe gives us what we need, when we need it.
So get this, I was scrolling through Instagram and saw one of my favourite brands Murad had just launched its new Daily Clarifying Peel.
A hydrating facial peel for oily, combination and acne-prone skin with AHAs, BHAs and some vitamin A for good measure? Hallelujah.
Of course, a road test was called for. Keep scrolling for all the details, plus my Murad Daily Clarifying Peel review.
What is the Murad Daily Clarifying Peel?
Murad Daily Clarifying Peel is a 3-in-1 exfoliant with a bi-phase oil texture that gently clarifying pores and improving cell turnover for a clearer looking complexion.
There are a couple of things that really stand out to me about this face peel (more on that in a sec), but the main one is that it contains the holy trinity of exfoliating ingredients:
- Glycolic Acid: A strong AHA that melts away dead skin cells on the surface layers of skin to reveal new baby skin.
- Salicylic Acid: An oil-soluble BHA that digs away at all the gunk in your pores, incredible for pimples and large pores.
- Retinyl Propionate: A stable, gentle form of vitamin A, an absolute must-have ingredient for an anti-aging routine that also exfoliates the skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Naturally, you would presume this active peel would be a weekly or fortnightly thing, but as the name hints, Murad Daily Clarifying Peel is actually formulated to be used daily for normal to oily/combo skin types.
The additional hydrating, skin barrier-loving ingredients like amino acids, jojoba seed oil, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E minimises any irritation. Dry and sensitised skins, you should still start slow and see how your skin reacts.
Murad Multi-Acid Peel vs Murad Clarifying Peel.
Hang on... doesn't Murad have a bi-phase peel already? The multi-acid peel in the green bottle?
You are correct! 10 points to Gryffindor!
Murad now have two excellent exfoliating peels, and they are quite different, despite both containing exfoliating acids.
Murad Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel is $95 for 100ml and contains salicylic acid, tranexamic acid and gentle AHAs mandelic and lactic acid.
The green bottles means it's part of the brand's Resurgence age management range. This one will help with texture and clarity, but is more about gently delivering the healthy glow for dull, uneven skin tone.
Murad Daily Clarifying Peel is $65 for 95ml and sits in the blue range for managing breakouts and acne scarring.
It's specifically designed to clear pores and even out texture for oily and blemish-prone skin, or to sub in for dry skin types struggling with congestion.
You can browse and shop these Murad peels here:
My Murad Peel Review.
Let's start with my first impressions of using this product:
- Matte glass bottle - if you haven’t read my previous skincare reviews, I’m a sucker for glass packaging.
- The peel consistency is oilier than other runny toners or exfoliating treatments I would usually use in this step.
- Texture absorbs into the skin well, leaving a nice, healthy glow to the skin.
- Has a slight antibacterial scent when applied. When you get your hands on the product, you’ll know what I mean.
Because it is a bi-phase peel, it needs to be vigorously shaken before application as the ingredients naturally separate.
Exhibit A.
Murad Peel Before and After Results.
I tend to avoid products of the oily nature as they have never agreed with my skin.
But since this peel is designed to clarify the skin, I didn’t hesitate and have been using for a couple of weeks now.
I haven't used BHAs, AHAs and retinoids in one combined product before, but these ingredients make regular appearances in my routine.
If you are new to chemical exfoliants or active skin care, I would recommend starting off one or two nights a week and building it up from there.
I found the peel quite hydrating, with no irritation or tingly sensation. At all.
I honestly wasn’t sure it was doing much to my skin, as much as I hear skin experts telling me skin tingling doesn’t mean an effective product, I do like the spicy feeling.
That was until I took a selfie and compared it to the selfie a week before.
I present to you, my Murad peel before and after photos. Shooketh.
Look at that difference in just a week.
You can see the freckles under my eye area have lightened, the dark spots on my cheeks, chin and forehead have pretty much disappeared.
There is much less congestion on my nose and overall, my skin looks much clearer and brighter.
Goes to show, the best way to track your skin’s progress when using any new product is to take lots of selfies!
Final Verdict...
It’s quite obvious what I think, the Murad Daily Clarifying Peel deserves a standing ovation.
It cleared my skin significantly in just a week, while keeping it well nourished during the process.
I 100% recommend this product, especially if you have congested skin, acne scarring or the rudest breakouts that randomly appear all over your face.
Consider this your sign from the universe.
You can learn more about exfoliating acids in our YouTube video below.
Want more info and product reviews for blemish-prone skin? Check out these Beauty IQ articles below:
