The road to clear, smooth skin isn’t always an easy one, and you’re not going to reach your destination by only using a cleanser and moisturizer. Lucky for you, we have a few “shortcuts” up our sleeve to help you achieve your skincare goals. In the skincare world, “shortcuts” are really targeted treatment products. Spoiler alert: they’re not really shortcuts (remember: skincare is a marathon not a sprint), but they will get you to where you want to be quicker and with even better results.

You know how the navigation app, Waze, maps out the best route for you to take to reach your destination safely and efficiently, so that you’re not 45 minutes late for work, because there was a wreck, but you also really need coffee so….? Think of this as a little skincare navigation-- we’re here to give you all the hacks to reach your ultimate skin destination safely and efficiently, so you can be out there flexin’ your complexion (and we will ALWAYS factor in coffee).

We’d now like to introduce you to one of our favorite skincare shortcuts, the flexin’ my complexion toning pads.

Why do we love these? Easy. These pads are multitasking skin heroes. They alleviate many problematic skin concerns and are suitable for most skin types. What makes these little cotton pads of sunshine so great? Get ready for a quick science lesson about acids. Yeah, you heard me… Acids!

There are 3 types of acids that are commonly found in skincare-- AHAs, BHAs, & PHAs. They are natural exfoliants found mostly in plants, that help cleanse your face a little deeper and get that dead, flaky skin off your face. Two of the most common and effective acids are found in our flexin’ my complexion pads: glycolic acid, an AHA, and salicylic acid, a BHA.

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) - it's water-soluble & works to break the bonds between the outer layer of skin cells (especially the dead cells!) & the next skin cell layer. This creates a peeling effect that evens out skin texture for a smoother appearance, minimizing pores, fine lines & wrinkles. this effect also helps clean pores of dead skin cells & oil, helping clear breakouts. Glycolic acid can help your skin's barrier retain moisture instead of drying it out like most topical acne products.

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that works to deeply clean clogged pores, dissolving dead skin cells & other debris. By cleaning your pores, this acid treats current breakouts on your sin & prevents new ones from forming. This acid is oil-soluble - oil-soluble ingredients penetrate the skin faster & deeper than water-soluble acids. Salicylic acid can also help improve the appearance of acne scars, age spots & melasma.

BHAs + AHAs are skincare heroes and can be a game-changer for treating acne-prone skin, unclogging pores, or just giving your skin the occasional, healthy exfoliation. Dying to flex your complexion? Shop our best-selling toning pads.