My First Foray into Peeling Gels: Reviews for Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peeling Gel and Ishizawa Lab Sweet & Sour Mangosteen Peeling Gel

I've been interested in peeling gels ever since I've heard that they're the gentler route to proper exfoliation. So far, I've tried two peeling gels, and I'll be giving my thoughts on them. 

Ingredients (Laneige): water, cellulose, dipropylene glycol, fragaria vesca strawberry fruit extract, butylene glycol, alcohol, glycerin, carbomer, triethanolamine, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, subtilisin, xanthan gum, yogurt powder, theobroma cacao cocoa extract, sucrose, polymethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, styrene butadiene copolymer, stearyl alcohol, shellac, polyquaternium-6, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, PEG-75, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, silica, papain, actinidia chinensis kiwi fruit extract, alanine, arginine, atelocollagen, beta-glucan, calcium gluconate, calcium gluconate, citrulline, citrus medica limonum lemon fruit extract, copper gluconate, glutamic acid, glycogen, histidine hcll, lysine hcl, magnesium aspartate, magnesium gluconate, mannitol, musa sapientum banana fruit extract, PCA, pentaerythrithy tetraisostearate, serine, silica dimethyl silylate, sodiumchondroitin sulfate, solanum lycopersicum tomato fruit leaf stem extract, threonine, vitis vinifera grape fruit extract, zinc glucinate, methylparaben, chlorphenesin, disodium EDTA, red 33 (ci 17200), iron Oxides (ci 77489,77492), titanium oxide, fragrance.

Ingredients (Ishizawa Lab): water, glycerin, (acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer) crosspolymer, centrimonium chloride, hydrolyzed mangosteen fruit extract, hydrolyzed mango juice extract, hydrolyzed cherimoya fruit extract, lactic acid, agarikon extract, ascorbyl tetra-isopalmitate, retinol palmitate, butylene glycol, mannitol, cellulose, tocopheryl acetate, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, fragrance

Ingredient ♥ Ingredient :(

Experience: I first heard about peeling gels from Lulu and was immediately intrigued. Peeling gels are chemical exfoliators. You rub the product on dry skin until the product pills up along with your dead skin cells. This video explains it better.   

I use a scrub everyday. Judge me if you will, but the wallet-hemorrhaging, raved Clarisonic brush is basically a glorified exfoliator too. So there! :P Dead skin builds up on my face super fast, particularly the t-zone area. If I don't exfoliate regularly, I can look forward whiteheads popping up on my face. Yay!

Having tried these out, I can confirm that peeling gels perform a different function than physical scrubs. Even when I use a gritty scrub, I can never get my nose feeling completely smooth, but a peeling gel is great at targeting the small crevices between your nostril and cheek and between your eyes.

When I first used the Laneige peeling gel, I was awestruck by how soft and supple my skin felt. I couldn't stop running my fingers along my cheek. Unfortunately, that feeling disappears like a new car smell. But my nose area remains smooth, which is what I'm looking for.

In terms of performance, I'd say that they both smooth out my t-zone. However, I prefer Ishizawa's Mangosteen Peeling Gel.

 Why?

1. Gentleness: I found Ishizawa Lab to be completely non-irritating (but still spot test if you have sensitive skin). At first I thought it wasn't doing its job, because it felt like nothing on my skin. But my skin was still smooth, so it definitely is just as effective. Additionally, Laneige has alcohol in it, which I tend to avoid because I don't want to dehydrate my skin.
2. Clean-up: Unfortunately, Laneige creates giganticular pea-sized pilled waste that clog my drains. It's way too messy to use at the sink, I have to use it in the shower, so I can make sure to wash out the flakes from my hair. In contrast, I found that Ishizawa Lab makes much finer pilled waste. No plumbing snake required for Ishizawa! 

I really like Ishizawa, but I'm definitely up for trying out other peeling gels to see what's out there.

Cost-effectiveness: They cost pretty much the same. I paid around $20 for Laneige peeling gel, not including shipping. I paid $19.99 for Ishizawa, not including tax.

Availability: I bought Laneige off eBay. But it's available on e-tailers like SaSa. For Bay Area beauties, try Hankook Supermarket in Sunnyvale. They have a Laneige counter near the entrance. I bought Ishizawa Lab from Mitsuwa.