Caroline Hirons has unveiled the third and final exfoliating acid toner from Skin Rocks, for brighter, smoother, younger looking skin – designed to give impressive results for experienced users of acids
Caroline Hirons has unveiled what she calls Skin Rocks’ strongest exfoliating acid to date — and she’s warning her followers and fans that it’s definitely not designed for skincare beginners.
We joined her at the launch of the new Skin Rocks The Strong Acid, where the skincare expert and brand founder described the formula as “barely legal” after pushing developers to make it “as strong as you can… but keep it legal”. Formulated using seven different acids, it’s designed for experienced users who want to see impressive results, and it completes the brand’s acid trio alongside their existing products Control Acid and Gentle Acid.
What is the difference between the three Skin Rocks Acids?
The three products are each designed to address different skincare concerns.
The Control Acid, £49, is for oily, congested or break-out prone skin and the key ingredient within it is BHA – salicylic acid. This particular acid is excellent for dealing with oilier skin that’s causing issues, but can be too harsh and stripping on normal to dry skin. “Control is our salicylic acid toner – it’s for you if you’ve got combination skin and breakouts. Easy, simple,” says Caroline.
The Gentle Acid, £53, is ideal for all skin types, including anyone that is new to acids and for younger users in their twenties and early thirties. It’s designed to tackle dullness, hyper pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles and uneven skin tone, and despite the name, she’s not actually all that gentle compare to many alternatives on the market, with 9% AHAs and 1% PHA. “Gentle is our firstborn and I love her,” says Caroline. “We shouldn’t have called her Gentle because she’s not that gentle, but in my head it made sense because I knew Strong was coming.”
The Strong Acid, £75 is the newbie, and you will feel it tingling when you apply. It’s ideal for experienced acid users who want to see serious results, tacking skin texture, dullness, hyperpigmentation, lines and wrinkles, blackheads, congestion and visible pores. “If you’re new to acid toners, don’t go near it,” says Caroline. “It’s for an accomplished skin, shall we say.”
“The brief for The Strong Acid was: ‘make it as strong as you can but keep it legal’. Barely legal,” she joked (at least, we think she was joking). It contains 15% AHA, BHA and PHA, including glycolic and lactic, as well as salicylic and others but the exact breakdown is a closely guarded secret, to prevent copycats from appearing.
As if to reinforce the potency of the products, the acid arrives in a glass bottle rather than plastic packaging – something Hirons also addressed during the event. “People are like, ‘why isn’t it in plastic?’ I’m like, ‘No. It’s in glass’,” she said, with a meaningful stare.
In terms of how to use it, Caroline emphasised that due to the strength, you should apply her acids with cotton pads, not simply dabbing it over your skin with your hands, and some products recommend. “You don’t need to use it every night,” she added, explaining that three times a week, building up to every other night would be more realistic. And she mentioned that if you’re a fan of her Retinoid 3 product, that the two should not be combined within the same treatment. ‘Alternate between the two,’ she advised.
She also advised shoppers with sensitive or inexperienced skin to avoid jumping straight in. “If you’ve got sensitised skin or you’ve never used acids before, I would rather you used Gentle and used it frequently – about three times a week.. It’s already much stronger than most on the market.”
Acids toners are an increasingly popular step in skincare regimes. Generally seen as a gentler and more targeted form of exfoliation, compared to old-fashioned scrubs, different acids perform different types of exfoliation. In general AHAs (often glycolic or lactic acids) are excellent for surface brightening, and boosting radiance.. For a cheaper alternative, try The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, £11.90.
BHAs (like salicylic acid) are effective on blackheads and oily skin. CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser with Salicylic Acid, £14.50 is one of the most popular affordable versions.
PHAs are similar to AHAs but generally a little more gentle.
