The Ordinary · Exfoliant

AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution 7.5 / 10

Name: AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
Brand: The Ordinary

Reviewed by Michael C.

Product image from Dis-Chem. Image rights belong to their owners.

A strong 10-minute weekly peel with real irritation risk — not for sensitive skin, and worth caution in the windy Cape.

Efficacy7.5

Value for money8.5

Texture7.0

SA climate fit7.0

SkinLabs Promise — No Hype. Just Evidence.

The SkinLabs Promise

No hype, just evidence — this review is independently researched from publicly available information, ingredient analysis and editorial testing.

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Where to buy in South Africa

30ml

Takealot — R220 (checked 6 days ago)

Pack size not stated

Dis-Chem — R195 (checked 6 days ago)

Prices are read automatically from each retailer's own product page and change often. Pack sizes can differ between listings; check the retailer before you buy.

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Built around AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution — every other step is the highest-scoring, skin-type-matched product in our review set, not a fabricated or paid recommendation.

Estimated routine costR1250

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The full breakdown

A strong 10-minute weekly peel with real irritation risk — not for sensitive skin, and worth caution in the windy Cape.

Ingredient breakdown

Glycolic Acid
Moderate evidence
Commonly used to exfoliate the skin surface and improve the appearance of photoaged skin, fine lines and texture; professional-strength peels have shown measurable wrinkle-depth improvement in controlled trials, though with more adverse events than gentler alternatives like retinaldehyde.
Lactic Acid
Moderate evidence
Commonly used as a gentle exfoliant and humectant; a controlled mechanistic study found the L-lactic-acid isomer specifically (not the D-isomer) significantly increased keratinocyte ceramide production and improved stratum corneum barrier function.
Salicylic Acid
Strong evidence
Commonly used to help exfoliate the skin surface, unclog pores and reduce acne lesions; clinical trials show OTC salicylic-acid-based regimens can perform comparably to prescription acne regimens with better day-to-day tolerability.

Best suited to

Resilient, Congested, Dull

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