Makeup Artist's Choice (MUAC) • 40% Lactic Acid Peel • Masks

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amywauc on 3/20/2013 5:38:00 PM more reviews by amywauc

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I used the Lactic Acid peel for the first time a few days ago. I washed my face with neutral soap and then applied the peel as directed. It burned a bit but not too bad. When I washed off the peel and then washed again with the neutral soap, I noticed my blackheads were all on the surface and other impurities came to the surface and I was able to use a washcloth to remove them. I was happy with the results. The price is not bad too. The next day I noticed my skin looked pretty good, a bit dry, but good.

I was more happy with the TCA peel and glycolic though. This peel is good with no down time because you do not go red and there is hardly any peeling so you can go to work the next day.

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xclusive on 12/6/2012 9:53:00 PM more reviews by xclusive

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I've used this peel for several weeks now and the results are pretty good. There is no downtime at all, you could do it any time of day. My skin is acne prone with acne scarring and more on the dry side, I started off with a minute and am now up to 5 minutes. The first couple of times I experienced slight burning and irritation but it goes away when you wash it off. After the peel my skin looks immediately fresher and more radiant, scars look less visible and my tone is more even, however I have experienced alot of purging from this and have more pimples than I started off with. I hope this purging doesn't last much longer, have used it twice a week and about 5 times now. Will update.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

lilblacksky on 9/28/2012 2:17:00 AM more reviews by lilblacksky

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This peel gives you RESULTS, and when I say results I really mean visible results! When I went to school the day after I did this peel, my friend commented on how much evener/brighter my skin looked. I told her I had done a peel the day prior and she was surprised that a product could have such instant and visible results.
I have tried several peels from MUAC (mandelic 25%, TCA 8% & 12%, Fade peel) This and the mandelic 25% is my favorite. The 40% lactic acid is very gentle yet very effective. It is really awesome for lightening and fading acne scars/PIHP (whereas the mandelic seems to be better for evening out uneven texture and bumps) A light 1-layer peel will significantly brighten up and even your skintone without any peeling / irritation / redness. I sometimes layer it on as a "spot treatment" for the darker acne scars and that sometimes results in minor flaking but faster fading. I have used it for 6 months now (ranging about 4 days to 2 weeks between treatments) and I have had no adverse effects, just my skin looking a bit greater every time. HG peel for me, I will continue to rebuy as long as they make this. No downtime at all, just brighter evener skin! And so very affordable, a sample of this will last you months.
(PS I have light skin ~NC15, I'm not sure how it will affect darker skinned gals and guys)

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

MojoWorkin on 9/25/2012 11:09:00 AM more reviews by MojoWorkin

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

REALLY helped my acne prone aging skin. Thanks for a great product! Reasonable price too! Love it!

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BluEydQT on 8/6/2012 1:37:00 PM more reviews by BluEydQT

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I have rosacea around my nose and cheeks, and fine lines by my eyes from smiling so much. :) I used this peel last night for the first time and left it on 5 minutes. You can leave it on anywhere from 3-7 minutes so I chose the average time. After I applied it there was a slight warm and tingling sensation which made me feel it was working. I was slightly red once I washed it off but 30 minutes later the redness was gone. I really look like I just had a facial done at a fraction of the cost. I will definitely continue using this as I feel it took 10 years off of my face. I also use the Rosacea Complex and will write a separate review for that.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* heathermrm on 4/26/2012 12:11:00 PM more reviews by heathermrm

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I have now tried 4 different peels from MUAC:

1. 25% mandelic acid peel

2. 40% lactic acid peel

3. fade peel

4. 12.5% TCA peel


Background - I have melasma spots on my forehead (x3) and 1 on each cheek (back towards my ears). I have subtype 1 (blushing) rosacea on the apples of my cheeks w/ some broken caps along the sides of my nose and what are probably sebaceous filaments (vs blackheads) along the sides of my nose (not horribly visible, but bothersome to me) I have basically normal/combo skin w/ slightly drier cheeks and slightly oilier t-zone. I'm 46 so have the start of some fine lines. Whew - if you made it thru all that, I'm impressed :)


The 40% lactic acid peel works OK for me - it seemed to assist in the initial fading of my melasma spots, but then I reached a plateau = per advice of MUAC, I upgraded to the fade peel. However, I cannot use the lactic peel anywhere near my rosacea spots or, sometimes other parts of my face if my skin has decided to be sensitive (which it does intermittently.)


I have fine-tuned my skincare regime to include MUAC's 25% mandelic acid peel and its Fade Peel (see separate reviews). I always wash w/ gentle, non-abrasive cleanser and tone w/ Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel both before and after peel, followed by several drops of rosehip oil post-peel.


I'd give this a 3.5 as it worked OK for a while, and then wasn't as effective + started bothering my skin = my sample is up for swap :)

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Loughrke on 4/1/2012 10:10:00 PM more reviews by Loughrke

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I'm a college student so stress and monthy hormonal issues make my face breakout like crazy! I have been through two Lactic 40% peels now, a week apart. So far, I'm pretty impressed with this product. I have PIH on both of my cheeks, as well as a few spots scattered on my face, and I've noticed a slight lightening of them everywhere. My face has always been very oily, but even without the oil it is still shiny (does anyone else experience this??) and the peel definitely doesn't help with the shine. Is this the glow y'all are talking about, my face looks like a mirror!! Regardless, my skin feels super smooth and my makeup goes on so much better. I left the peel on my face for 5 minutes the first time, and then 7 minutes today. So far I haven't experienced a lot of burning, but my face is used to harsh treatments with my Proactiv. I am seeing some purging right now, so hopefully that will clear up soon! I will definitely update on my progess, it's so nice to read all of the positive reviews!
UPDATE: Guys, I'm so happy I stuck it out with this product. I left the peel on my face for 7 minutes last night with two layers (and a third on my PIH). I was starting to worry that it wouldn't work for me... the dark spots were still there after the first two, and my face was breaking out like crazy from the purging! This morning I woke up to much, MUCH clearer skin. The active acne on my face dried up overnight and there was a decrease in my PIH by at least 40%. My face hasn't been this free from dark spots in three years!! I can guess that my face will keep getting better and better the more I use the peel. For those of you reading these reviews, debating on whether or not to buy this from MUAC, DO IT! You really don't have that much to lose. It's pretty cheap and it's definitely worth trying-- the peels in dermatologists' offices are 3X as expensive and do the exact same thing. So far after three peels my face feels about 60% smoother, there is about a 30% reduction of those icky blackheads on and around my nose, and my PIH is very less noticeable. Also, MUAC customer service is great, you can't beat them! My normally extremely oily face now glows and definitely isn't as oily. As a Proactiv user for 5 years, I was tired of paying all the money for little results. I'm done with that and I'll be a MUAC user for life!
I'll update in a couple of weeks. Hope this helped.

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shafna on 3/27/2012 3:22:00 PM more reviews by shafna

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Well, i just tried this yday and absolutely no effect apart from my chin drying up and peeling a bit. There is no instant glow, no fading of acne scars, nothing.. zilch!
When i emailed them about it, they said optimum results at 6-8weeks... so i will reupdate then. But for a first treatment nothing... and i dont have v sensitive skin so i did put it on for about 5 mins the first time itself.
Oh and have taken photo to compare now and then :)
Right now, I doubt if I will buy this again... thank god i just bought the trial size!

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Neophiliac on 3/22/2012 7:25:00 PM more reviews by Neophiliac

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

After doing aging skin and product research, including reading reviews on MakeupAlley, I tried MUAC's 40% Lactic Acid Peel. I have cystic adult acne and have had acne since I entered puberty, which has left me with many pit scars and hyperpigmentation. I have tried a bounty of products over the years, including cleansers, toners, exfoliating, lightening, microdermabrasion, etc. Exfoliating made no difference - even in my teens - though microdermabrasion was effective during my twenties.

In my thirties, my cell turnover slowed down and left me with even more enlarged pores which still tend to get congested (turning into zits and blackheads). My goal was just to strip off the old, dead skin which had not sloughed off (a.k.a.aging), but I got some bonus extras with this product: My pits and pores are evening out, and my smile lines are not as deep. I still have to use acne medication.

This type of product is not for every skin type. The process is uncomfortable since it burns and stings and you cannot skip the pH prep solution before and after the acid, or the burning sensation will remain for a while, even if you rinse it off. I am glad the MUAC company doesn't waste the customers' money on fancy packaging and instead focuses on product quality. I have had outstanding results and am now going to try out their Skin Lightening Gel.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

classynsassy on 3/1/2012 10:31:00 AM more reviews by classynsassy

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I bought this to use for a month before proceeding with a TCA peel. I have oily skin and very large pores, way too many blackheads on my nose with sun damaged skin and lots of freckles. Acne has never been a real problem for me but I have had a few bouts of severe cystic acne when I was 42 that left some deep scars on my cheeks.

I have used this 2x this week and so far I love the results, my skin feels smooth and clean and my blackheads are slowly disappearing, though I can't say that it has reduced the size of my pores yet; like with any product time and patience is required, I was not expecting a miracle after a few uses, after all it took years to get this way and it will take time to reverse the damage. I will update as I continue to use.

MUAC has great prices, I don't care about the packaging, I want an effective product and appreciate the fact that they focus on the product and not the packaging!! Shipment was prompt and the instructions were clear. I will definitely buy more products from them.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* lesliexyang on 2/1/2012 9:04:00 AM more reviews by lesliexyang

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

NOTE: buy sample first please! don't get sucked into the reviews on youtube because this won't work on all skin type! we're all always hoping for a miracle product but there is never such a thing..ever!!

anyways that being said, this totally broke me out everywhere i applied it, giving me more scars and redness. it does say that it will get better with time but heck, who wants a product that will supposedly "bring out" pimples or purge their skin?

just try this with a fair warning.

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jackiecamarena on 1/15/2012 10:17:00 PM more reviews by jackiecamarena

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this a week and a half ago and have since used it twice. The second time I used this was 3 days ago. Yesterday I woke up to a 1" x 1/2" rough patch of skin on my face. The skin solely in that area was rough, tight, and bumpy. It was scary. I felt like I was touching sand, not my face. Today I woke up and the rough patch is now a MUCH lighter shade than the rest of my face. I don't understand. I did a test patch and I was fine. Today I woke up to this, a big white patch on my face. The rest of my face looks brighter and softer. Hopefully my skin will even out. Will update as things progress.

UPDATE: It's been two months since I've started using this. I don't know what went wrong on my first application, but things have been going great since. My skin is much clearer and even in tone. But I have noticed that if I go long without using this, maybe two weeks, my skin goes right back to what it was.

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jareed on 1/15/2012 12:50:00 AM more reviews by jareed

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Just got this today. I'm 36 yrs old and realized I better start doing something about my skin early. I have fine lines, clogged pores, and some acne and acne discoloration marks. My skin overall looks very dull and lifeless.

I did a patch test and waited a few hours before applying to my face. The instructions say to wait for 24 hours, but I'm very impatient and just went ahead and did the peel the same day.

I began with the prep stuff which is just witch hazel and waited until it dried completely before I applied the peel. I put a few drops onto the tips of my fingers and rubbed it all over. There is a lot of product in the sample size, another reviewer said enough for 10 peels, but I did just one and barely can see a dent in the bottle.

I left it on for 3 mins. It tingled while it was on for a few secs then nothing, I use retinols nightly so figured my skin could handle it and I was right. I do not see any big difference, but my complexion looks a little brighter. I know it takes time, so I plan on doing a peel twice weekly for as long as I see no adverse reactions. When this is done, I'm going to go on to a stronger dosage. Will report back...

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kaymit90 on 11/13/2011 12:10:00 AM more reviews by kaymit90

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is my first time using chemical peels. I mainly wanted to lighten the age spots/freckles on my face. I alternate weekly between this lactic acid peel and the mandelic acid peel. I have been able to tolerate the max 7 minutes from the get-go with no redness or any noticeable irritation. I also use the gly-uronic serum between peels. These peels are just so easy to use.

Results: INCREDIBLY smooth and glowing skin!!! I do not need to put on foundation anymore. I only need to use undereye concealer. My friends all say I look much younger, and my pores are smaller. One of my friends thought I have foundation on when I do not. I am SOOO happy with the results, and I absolutely LOVE MUAC!!

7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Taizk on 10/20/2011 9:51:00 PM more reviews by Taizk

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I bought the MUAC 40% Lactic acid, the 30% Glycolic and the 15% Salycilic and I rotate among the three, but this is my favorite. My skin feels very hydrated, smooth and glowing.
It tingles a little but does not burn and I feel very safe doing the peeling.
I believe the sample size bottle is enough for over ten applications which makes this product very cost effective.
Muac customer service is also outstanding, they helped me with all the questions I had before ordering and before using their products.
I recommend and definitely would purchase again.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

zedy on 9/11/2011 11:11:00 AM more reviews by zedy

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I used this product over the last few years. The results have been good - clearer complexion and healthy looking skin.
I would recommend lactic acid to people as it isnt too harsh and seems to help certain skin types.

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tightkitty on 8/16/2011 9:58:00 PM more reviews by tightkitty

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Brunette, Coarse   Eyes: Grey    

I was excited about this product after seeing all the video's on this and reviews on MUA. I used this back in November/ December 2010 since I was trying to get nice skin for the holiday season. I have always had acne and struggled with it off and on. I heard from so many people that peels would help with acne and a few scars and hyperpigmentation that I had from previous acne marks. Anyway I had a few breakouts but a few days after I did this treatment I had a mild breakout, but I figured maybe I'm just slightly purging no big deal. I continued to do this once a wk well by the time xmas came around I was not even recognizable and my face was ruined. I only had acne problems with my cheeks but after this my forehead and chin had zits and I never get zits on my forehead or chin,so I knew it was this. I would not recommend this for acne prone skin I had a few breakouts before this that I could cover up and go on with the day but after this it was so bad makeup couldn't even cover it. I had huge bright red cystic pimples that were very painful After this I finally gave up on this and broke down and went to a dermatologist and I'm under treatment and have been doing much better.

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2lygit on 8/7/2011 5:32:00 PM more reviews by 2lygit

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

AMAZING product! I have struggled with my skin since I hit puberty, and especially after giving birth it has just been so confused. I used to have very oily, acne prone skin, which went combination/dry after I gave birth and is now meandering back and forth between the two. I started breaking out a lot recently, and after seeing all the reviews on this I decided to give it a go. It is easy enough to use, they explain everything for you.
I left it on for the full 7 minutes my first time, it did tingle and burn which frightened me slightly, but it never got bad enough to make me remove it all. I used the aloe jelly stuff right after which calmed it a bit. The next couple days after I used it I broke out really badly, almost as bad as when I was pregnant, which was BAAAD. However I was warned of this beforehand and just stuck it out, doing another peel about 3 days later. I just did my third application like two days ago, and my breakout is almost entirely cleared up, my acne scarring from previous breakouts is visibly diminished, and my skin is sooo smooth. This stuff really works, you just have to stick it out.
Ps the ph prep stuff works great as a toner!

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*TOP REVIEWER* TacoFlavoredKisses on 5/18/2011 2:55:00 AM more reviews by TacoFlavoredKisses

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I'm so glad I found MUAC thanks to MUA! Yayy! I love that I can do chemical peels at home instead of paying $200 a piece at the dr's office. I decided to start my peels with a 40% Lactic, since it's supposed to be the "lightest" peel and also supposed to be a good peel for Hyperpigmentation issues, which I have. I have (had) some major sun damage on my face, especially the left side of my face (driving!!) and my forehead. I am so impressed that I have only used this peel 3-4 times now, and they have lightened SIGNIFICANTLY!! I started out leaving the peel on for only 3-4 minutes, and last night, I left it on for up to 15 minutes!! No frosting, no burning, nothing. Today (the next day) all I've got is a bit of peeling around the folds of my nose. My hyperpigmentaion spots were so blaringly obvious before I started this peel, and now they are practically resolved. I will finish up this 1/2 ounce bottle (which isn't even half gone after 3-4 peels) and then bump up to 65% (My skin has never been sensitive). I also bought 12.5% TCA which I will start in a few months... I'm scared!! But I want to work on the crows' feet and forehead wrinkles... I love MUAC so much!! OH- I even started using this on my "cleavage" since I have some wrinkly skin in the middle (from tanning back in the day- GRRR!) and my skin tolerated it fine.

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sarah2202 on 4/15/2011 5:39:00 PM more reviews by sarah2202

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I have used this peel once a week since April 2011. I have a lot of PIH all over my face which is what I bought this peel for.

My skin used to have a very smooth texture, until I started on BCP last summer. Since then I haven't been able to get my skin to be baby smooth and soft no matter what I've used (RAM, glycolic acid toner). I had given up on the idea that a topical product could make a dramatic difference in my skin. That is, until I tried this peel.

I have noticed slight improvement in my PIH but it is still too soon to expect much fading. My skin is back on its way to the condition it used to be.

I have barely made a dent in the 1/2 ounce bottle. I pour some out onto a spoon and use my fingertips to apply the peel. I imagine it will last another 18 uses. The pH prep that came with the peel (.5 oz) will only last ~4 uses, but I believe you can replace this with witch hazel so I won't re-buy the pH prep.

The price is amazing, especially when you consider how many treatments you get out of it. I live in Toronto and paid $24 for shipping (total order was $75 including S&H) but this was still a great deal to me.

I am loving it and will continue to update.
-----------
Update Nov 21.11: Still loving the lactic peel! After 1x/week usage since April, I still have about 30% of the 15mL bottle left. Amazing value. I look forward to using this every Sunday because it makes my face feel sooo clean and my pores feel decongested. I apply a thin layer with my fingers and leave it on for about 15 minutes, then neutralize with baking soda. I don't use the pH prep at all. Once I've rinsed everything off, I can scrub the loose dead skin off with my fingers - a super satisfying thing to do lol. My skin is always really smooth and I wake up with a glow the next morning.
It's helping fade my PIH.
<3

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No