Celebrity esthetician Shani Darden is often seen on social media treating / hanging out with her celeb clients-slash-friends Jessica Alba and Shay Mitchell. And by “often seen” I mean it me. I’ve watched her launch her eponymous Shani Darden skincare brand, enter Sephora stores and grow the line gradually over the years. Shani Darden’s Texture Reform Serum is her most popular product, but it was her latest launch that sparked my interest in a way her others haven’t. It was a peel that brings her signature treatment into your home – Triple Acid Signature Peel. I think peels are less hyped up on social media (everybody wants the retinol and the tretinoin) but I think peels are not only super effective but work much faster at improving the skin. I immediately had to get on my hands on the product that’s supposed to mimic Shani Darden’s famous celeb-worthy signature peels.

What does the Triple Acid Signature Peel include?

Shani Darden’s peel is actually a kit that comes with:

• 8 treatments of Triple Acid Exfoliating Solution
• 1 Kaolin Clay Neutralizing Mask 1.7 us fl oz, 50ml tube
• 1 signature brush

How to use Triple Acid Signature Peel

Similar to a professional peel, Shani Darden’s new product is a 2-step process.

Step 1 Peel: Lactic, Glycolic & Mandelic Acids instantly sweep away dead skin cells across multiple layers

Step 2 Mask: Soothing Kaolin and Bentonite Clays neutralize the peel, deep clean, and refine pores by removing dirt and oil without over drying your skin.

Important: Avoid the eye and lip area

Shani recommends starting off with leaving the mask on for 1 minute and working your way up to 2 minutes. I honestly found the mask so gentle that I left it on much longer and didn’t notice any adverse effects.

My Honest Review of Shani Darden

I hate to disappoint but for the $125 I paid, I was not that impressed by Shani Darden’s peel. Yes, it has a trio of acids:

• Lactic Acid to resurface skin by polishing away dead skin cells while smoothing
• Glycolic Acid to deep clean skin, refines pores and helps clear up congestion
• Mandelic Acid to exfoliate and brighten without irritation

…but I find these acids a common ingredient in many of my other exfoliating products, whether they’re toners, cleansers or masks. I guess what I was hoping for was the “professional grade” aspect to set the product apart from my other acid-focused products.

Unfortunately, this was too gentle for it to qualify as professional grade for my skin.

Note that I have thicker than average skin. If you have skin that leans sensitive or a less than strong skin barrier, you’ll probably feel the sharp tingling sensation that’s supposed to occur. Everyone’s skin is so different and if you find a product too strong or too weak, with experience, you’ll find that there are hacks to adjust products to your skin! I leave mine on for around 20 minutes instead of the 1-2 minutes instructed, and I’ll notice more an effect that way. Again, this is just what I do for my own skin and you might actually find this product overly strong for your skin with just 1-2 minutes.

I have other clean beauty products that are priced lower (some even half the cost) of this 2-step peel that feel like they’re working stronger on my skin than Shani’s unfortunately.

I actually find the Kaolin Clay Neutralizing Mask very pleasant and there’s a bit of chemical reaction going on that you can notice when applied onto the peel.

I will continue using up the rest of the treatment packs (it comes with a total of 8) and will update this post if I find that my thoughts have changed.

Ingredients

TRIPLE ACID EXFOLIATING SOLUTION:
Aqua / Water / Eau, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Mandelic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Pulp Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Spondias Mombin Pulp Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Pulp Extract , Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol

KAOLIN CLAY NEUTRALIZING MASK:
Aqua / Water / Eau, Sodium Bicarbonate, Kaolin, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Bentonite, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Allantoin, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyproline, Proline, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Decyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

Shani Darden Amazon Store