Product Review: Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peel

Most people know that exfoliating with alpha hydroxy acids and scrubs can give you brighter, smoother skin and decrease the appearance of fine lines and large pores. However, AHAs can leave sensitive skin red and irritated, and scrubs with particles such as apricot or walnut can leave invisible micro-lacerations on the skin, over time causing decreased skin regeneration and possibly even infection (ouch!). I love the way my skin looks after I exfoliate, but I was searching for an option that would be less irritating then my beloved glycolic peels. I wanted something I could use right before I went out without having to wait for the redness to calm down, and something that could even treat my under eye area. When I stumbled across Amore Pacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel, I knew I had found a permanent addition to my skin care routine.

THE PRODUCT AND INGREDIENT BREAKDOWN
Amore Pacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel is available for $60 at sephora.com and amorepacific.com. With such a hefty price tag, I decided to investigate the ingredients before I committed to purchasing. According to Sephora's website , the peel is a "non-abrasive exfoliating formula that delivers radiant, smooth, youthful results for all skin types. Its efficient, water-activated, plant-based enzyme complex works to eliminate debris and toxins and create an instant toning effect.". I had already tried another enzyme-based peel by Alba in the past, but it hadn't been strong enough to give me the results I was looking for. However, on the Amore Pacific Peel's listing of ingredients, active enzymes appear quite high on the list, indicating that there is a pretty good percentage of them contained in the product (The FDA's INCI regulations have beauty companies list their ingredients in order of the amount used in the product. So, if an ingredient is listed first, there's a large percentage, and if it is listed last, there is a very small percentage. This information can often help you figure out whether there is enough of a certain cosmetic active in a product to really make a difference in your skin).

The ingredients in the peel are as follows: Lactose, Mannitol, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate Dextrin, Water, Zeolite, Silica, Betaine, Papain, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract Starch, PEG-32, Butylparaben, Methylparaben, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Yellow 5, Green 3, Fragrance. Papain (an enzyme from papayas) and Betaine (from sugar beets) are the only active exfoliators in the formula, while Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate & Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate Dextrin are surfactants used to cleanse the skin and remove dirt and oil. Zeolite is a type of clay, probably included for its oil-absorbing properties, allantoin is a potent skin soother derived from comfrey, and silica is often used in exfoliating products for its ability to scrub away dead skin cells without lacerating or irritating the skin (due to its spherical shape). Lactose is a milk sugar, and Mannitol is a sugar alcohol, most likely added to enhance the feel of the enzyme peel, and the rest of the ingredients are preservatives, colorants, and structural agents that help the peel perform as it is supposed to.

Even though there were only two active exfoliators in the product, I decided to give it a try- I was intrigued by how many good reviews it had received, as well as the novel formula: it's a silky powder that turns into a smooth, soft foam when it comes in contact with water. While this is a common type of product in Asia, here in America we don't really have anything like that, and I was excited to give it a try.

THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS
I actually wound up purchasing the peel from the Amore Pacific Beauty Gallery in New York City, a beautifully decorated and serene oasis on Spring Street, with sprawling bamboo curving towards the ceiling, and a tiny mechanical stream running under the product display. The sales rep demonstrated it's efficiency in the store, applying it to my right hand and comparing the difference against my left, untreated hand- even though I could definitely see a difference, I was still anxious to get home and try it out on a clean face.

At home, I cleansed my face and then poured the enzyme peel powder into my hand. One genius feature that Amore Pacific employed is the dose-dispensing bottle- it only releases the amount of powder needed for a single use, and no more. I used my fingers to massage the powder onto my wet face: it instantly began to dissolve into a fragrant, silky froth. I massaged my skin for approximately 30-45 seconds, and rinsed. The results? The silkiest, smoothest skin I had ever felt. Even some tiny flakes of dry skin around my lips were completely dissolved. I was super-impressed, and decided to continue to use the product on a daily basis.

THE LONG-TERM RESULTS
My bottle lasted me about 3 months with daily use (sometimes twice daily use)- and I ran out to buy more when I finally did run out. $60 seems like a lot of money to pay for an exfoliator, but if you think about it, just one spa facial costs twice as much, and this product left me looking like I had a spa facial every day. My skin is always dewy, glowy and fresh-looking on the days that I use the peel, and it is unbeatable at GENTLY removing the flakiness that can result from retinol products, winter weather, or sunburn. Because enzymes dissolve dead skin cells rather than chemically lifting them like acids do, my skin is never irritated or red after use. Admittedly, I still use glycolic peels on a monthly basis, because they stimulate collagen growth for anti-aging purposes, but acids could never replace this product for me: It's easy, elegant, and efficient, and gentle enough to use even when my skin is super-irritated.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Amore Pacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel is a good investment for those who are looking for a gentle, reliable exfoliant that removes dead skin cells without irritating or causing redness. People who have problems with congestion or breakouts may need something with a stronger exfoliant such as salicylic acid, but for sensitive skin with occasional blackheads or flakiness, this does the job well. This product is very high-end, from the silky soft formula to the well-designed packaging. It has a pleasant, sweet herbal scent that I love, but those who are sensitive to highly-fragranced formulas may find this to be a negative. The formula is free of sulfates, however, it does contain parabens, artificial colors, and artificial fragrance, which can create problems for those who have sensitivities/allergies to these ingredients . I personally find the $60 price tag to be well worth it for the results it gave me, but others may find this to be too expensive. For me, Amore Pacific's Treatment Enzyme Peel has become a can't-do-without skincare product, and I'll probably keep using it until they stop making it.