Working from home and a reduction in face-to-face socialising due to COVID-19 means that I’ve been braver in the types of products I’m trialling. With that in mind, I decided to embark on a four-week long peel — the Elizabeth Arden Prevage Renewal Treatment — that would remove the top layer of my skin to (hopefully) reveal a glowy visage.
As someone who has fairly sensitive skin, undertaking a peel has never sounded that appealing — even when it’s marketed as being suitable for such a skin type. But, as I don’t have to physically front up to the office at the moment, should something have gone wrong, I could deal with it from the comfort of my own home.
In saying that, after reading a plethora of positive reviews online about the Elizabeth Arden Treatment, I was excited to see how my skin responded — especially because I was suffering from a case of iso skin, complete with breakouts and dullness.
The 28-day Elizabeth Arden Prevage Renewal Treatment harnesses the power of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) and polyhydroxy acid (PHA) to exfoliate the outermost layer of skin and dissolve the “glue” that holds skin cells together.
This treatment works by progressively delivering higher concentrations of these AHAs week by week, so it effectively trains your skin into peel use by slowly integrating a stronger acid each week.
When I received the Prevage Renewal Treatment, there were four vials included and each was filled with a clear liquid. Before you start using a vial, you have to push the cap down to release the antioxidant into the bottle — this helps keep the ingredients stable and active.
Before using you have to give the vial a good shake, then squirt a generous dropper full of product onto your hand and massage into your face and neck. The product itself is bright yellow and has a very subtle scent. After you’ve applied it, wait 20 minutes before using any other products. Then in the morning, gently wash your face before applying anything else to your skin.
As it’s removing the top layer of skin, you MUST wear SPF every single day during the treatment — which you should be doing anyway tbh. Elizabeth Arden recommends wearing at least SPF 30+ as your skin can burn easily.
After only four days of using the first vial of product, I noticed that my skin looked a lot brighter. Dullness had been a concern for me over the previous weeks, so seeing my skin looking clear was honestly a delight.
In this first week, I decided to pare back my skincare and just use the acid at night to see how it went. My skin felt a little tight after applying the product but not uncomfortably so.
By the second week (and the second vial), I noticed a reduction in pore size, especially on my cheeks. The brightness I experienced in week one continued into the second as well. At this point, I reintegrated my other skincare products at night after the 20-minute waiting period post applying the treatment.
Onto the third vial (and third week) and by this time I noticed that the fine lights on my forehead looked much fainter — a happy outcome, as I was a bit sceptical it would do much for them.
By the fourth week, my skin was noticeably brighter, my pores noticeably smaller and my skin tone looked much more even. As someone who suffers from redness and uneven skin tone, this change is something I’m still experiencing a couple of weeks later.
If your skin needs a little reset (especially after iso!), the Prevage Renewal Treatment is certainly the way to go. I’d also recommend it for those new to peels or with sensitive skin, or as a treatment in preparation for an upcoming event.
You can purchase the Elizabeth Arden Prevage Renewal Treatment from Myer, David Jones and Adore Beauty for $205.