There aren’t many acid-based scalp peels and scrubs out there on the beauty shelves but here’s a pretty new one – a glycolic acid scalp peel called Happi Scalp ($52) by the cult-loved US skincare label, Drunk Elephant. What does it do? The acid is meant to break down any dead skin, oils, and hair product residue that’s stuck to your scalp and clogging your hair follicles.

The application process is easy, convenient, and fuss-free: a thin, long nozzle dispenses just a small amount of the scrub paste each time you squeeze the tube, and you can accurately apply the paste down your hairline along your scalp.

Does it work well? Yes, and it works very fast. For someone with the occasional scalp greasiness and dandruff (that comes by every two to three months as a result of product residue and bad shampooing), you will be able to see instant results in an application or two.

Moving on to acid peels for the face. Common skincare acids such as lactic acid and glycolic acid exfoliates and dislodges dead skin cells from the skin surface and we’ve sorted some of the most celebrated acid skincare products by application methods.

And first up, we’ve got the all-time classic lactic acid overnight treatment from Sunday Riley – Good Genes ($186). Note that the texture is on the creamier side, and the formula is not fragranced – so expect a raw smell to it.

For ladies who prefer a watery formula which dries out quickly, opt for the Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos night serum ($128) instead. Again, it’s an overnight treatment that’s not fragranced. However, both the Sunday Riley and Drunk Elephant acid treatments are lauded as some of the best and most potent acid products around the globe.

Still prefer fragrance? For those of you who prefer a nice scent to your skincare products, opt for Skin Inc’s Pure Revival Peel ($76) which bubbles as you rub the product into your skin. You will, however, need to rinse the bubbles off afterwards.

Finally, there’s Philosophy’s Microdelivery Dream Peel ($85) which promises to dry up quickly and not stain pillowcases

Prefer a lotion or toner-like watery formula paired with a trusty (reusable) cotton pad? While there are numerous lotions that comes with a low concentration of acid meant for daily use, Australian skincare label Alpha-H’s Liquid Gold ($44.10 for the limited edition Rose Gold) is a potent glycolic acid formula.

As with all toners or lotions, wash your face and dry it. Load up a cotton pad with the formula, and gently swipe the pad around your face. You may immediately feel your skin tingle from the acid. However, if it burns, wash that stuff off your skin! On a budget? Opt for The Inkey List’s Glycolic Acid ($17) instead.

Perhaps the most convenient of all options are these disposable acid peel wipes. Topping the list is Dr. Dennis Gross’ Alpha Beta Universal Daily Wipe ($27 for 5 sets) which comes in super convenient and handy sachets that also happen to be great for – they will never, ever dry out!

Otherwise, look out for Peter Thomas Roth’s Peptide 21 wipes ($89 for a tub of 60 wipes), Sephora’s own Clarifying wipes ($24 for 60 wipes), or Stridex’s salicylic acid wipes if you have acne-prone skin ($5.95 for 55 wipes, from iHerb).

If you workout frequently and are concerned about clogged pores, opt for Sephora or Stridex’s salicylic acid wipes to clean out those sweat, dirt, and sebum-clogged pores!

No time for lengthy body scrubs? We get it. Body scrubs are actually pretty tedious and messy affairs. Imagine our surprise when we found exfoliating acid body wipes from Alpha-H’s signature Liquid Gold series ($25.20 for 25 wipes)! The possibilities are unlimited – you can literally use it anywhere: in bed, on the sofa while watching Netflix, or even at your WFH desk while tuning in to a work Zoom call.

Recently launched on Sephora.sg is Dr. Dennis Gross’ Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment. It’s basically a nice smelling, thick wet wipe that has a waffle texture, soaked in glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids, and a bunch of other ingredients that are good for your skin – bakuchiol, squalane, and bromelain. The formula is not as stinging as compared to the Alpha Beta Universal wipes for the face (if you’ve tried it before).

Instead, it is quite soothing and cooling to touch. The wow factor? Be prepared to be surprised at the end when you open up the wet wipe and realise a whole quarter of the wipe is brown from all the gunk on your skin. Oops, too much information… but that’s how you know it really works!

This article first appeared in The Singapore Women’s Weekly