Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Moisturizer

One thing I wanted to do was try more high end skincare. For most of my life I have been using affordable skincare, but I felt as if it wasn’t always super effective. That is why I wanted to try some more expensive products in the hopes that you also get more bang for your buck. I don’t think that is necessarily the case with skincare, but you won’t know it until you try it. So when I posted my skincare routine last year and said I wanted to update it, someone on my Youtube channel recommended I try the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Moisturizer.

Peter Thomas Roth 10% Glycolic Solutions Moisturizer // Skincare Review

This product is definitely a step up from my usual fair. One of my favorite moisturizers is The Body Shop Aloe Vera Moisturizer, followed by the Origins Ginzing Cream and Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Balm. Those are all more affordable than this. This retails for a whopping €43.25. That is much more than I have ever spent on a single skincare product, so this better be good. It does come with 63 ml of product though and that is more than the standard 50 mls most moisturizers come with.

Some basic information

So why did I buy this expensive moisturizer? Well first of all, I didn’t pay full price as I sourced mine from Amazon. It just made sense to pay about €10 less for exactly the same product. I already mentioned it came recommended, but the reason why it was recommended was because my dehydrated, sensitive skin has issues. Due to the dehydration, my skin has developed quite some milia over the years. It’s why I delved more into skincare in recent years as I only got more and more. Using good skincare helped a lot to not develop any new ones, but it was difficult to get rid of them.

In case you are unaware, milia are little closed off comedones that sit underneath the skin but that cannot be squeezed out. You need to actively open up the skin with a needle to create a hole to squeeze out the build up sebum. And it isn’t sebum per se as it is very different from a standard zit once it comes out. It comes out usually as a hard little ball and in one piece. If they get big enough I can remove them that way, but this won’t help with the little bumps on my cheeks. Since it creates a lot of texture that makeup cannot cover, I have been looking for solutions ever since.

What are the product claims?

The solution to getting rid of milia: exfoliation. I used microdermabrasion for a while, but that is a physical exfoliant which can actually create micro tears in your skin and leave damage. I had heard a lot about using chemical exfoliants for combating texture and so this product came highly recommended. Essentially what this is is a chemical exfoliant in a moisturizer fit for everyday use. Now that sounded like music to my ears.

But I was nervous. Because my skin is also quite sensitive. So last year I first started using a lactic acid to get my skin to get used to chemical exfoliation. It is deemed a gentler formulation for first timers. While it helped, I knew my skin needed more. As the texture was bad enough to warrant a more intense routine, I decided to start using this once my previous moisturizer ran out.

This product promises to do a number of things, all of them things I am looking for. It helps against fine lines, starting wrinkles, increases brightness and clarity and should minimize pores and texture. I have been using this product for the past 2 months and I have noticed a big difference in the texture in my cheeks.

Let’s look at the ingredients…

Before we sing our praises to the heavens though, we need to look at more than just what this product promises to do and my final results. For one, I have been switching out many products in the same time-period as I have been using this. So I cannot be 100% sure this is the main reason for the improvement. It could easily be down to the combination of products that I am currently using.

Another reason why this product is one you need to be careful with is the fact that this quite potent. Glycolic acid is the second ingredient in the product which is why it of course works. Other than that it contains glycerin and aloe vera which are great for moisturizing the skin. There are some oils, alcohol (but the kind that is not as bad for your skin) and also citric acid. Now I am not an expert on skincare ingredients, but this ingredient list also contains a lot of abracadabra which means it is difficult for me to decipher whether all of these ingredients are a good idea.

How does this product work for me?

Precisely because I was unsure of the ingredient list and because the bottle states this is for leave-on every day use, suited for all skin types except sensitive, I was nervous at first. The first time I tried this, it did leave a burning sensation, especially around my nose. After a few uses this went away. I had a similar experience with the lactic acid, so I think it is just the way my skin reacts to initial use. I have had a similar experience with many other skincare products in the past. It’s when the redness and irritation does not lessen over time that I become truly concerned.

So I decided to persevere and within a few days my skin was less irritated and red after every use. When I started slacking though and I was skipping too many days of this, I noticed my skin would react again. So I feel this only works for me if I keep on top of my skincare routine. What it does so far it minimize my milia and texture to a point where it hasn’t been in at least a decade. And that is what I like about this.

How do I use the product?

So yes, I feel this product works for me, but it does come with a price. First of all, it needs regular application for it to work. You slack, you instantly start noticing your skin reacting to this again. Secondly, I need to use quite a bit of product as the texture if very lightweight and I do need it to moisturize my skin. Thirdly, at this price point I feel there is no benefit from the extra product you get because of how much you need for one application. Lastly, it can only be used in the winter time as glycolic acid could lead to skin discoloration due to sun damage as the acid in the product can make your skin more sensitive to UV-A and UV-B rays. Using a sunscreen on top is therefore a must have.

Despite these downsides, I do still like this product. It has worked well for me and I love how it is easy to use and sits well under makeup. It is lightweight enough to be absorbed by your skin super quickly and so I have been using this as a day time moisturizer. For the night time I need something richer in texture to make sure my skin is moisturized. So while this product has its pro and cons, I do like it enough to keep using it.

Would I recommend the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Moisturizer?

Yes and no. There is no doubt that this moisturizer has contributed to my skincare routine in a way that I have been looking for for years. However, there are also some cons and one of them is how much product I need. I think I would be better off buying a straight up glycolic acid and use it once or twice a week rather than needing to apply this every day. I would also not feel comfortable using this once the weather improves as I am afraid to damage my skin if I use this as much in the summer time. In short, while it works, it is not perfect for me. At this price point, I want it to be perfect, so that is why I know I won’t be repurchasing this.

What chemical exfoliant do you use?