Skincare after a chemical peel
Reviewed by Dr Shahe Boghossian, GMC 5204600, last reviewed 11 Jun 2026A chemical peel works by removing the outer layers of skin in a controlled way, which means the skin underneath is briefly more reactive and less protected than usual.
For the first few days the job of your routine is not to do more, but to do less well: support the barrier, keep the skin hydrated, and stay out of the sun. The actives that earned you the peel can wait. This is the routine The London Road Clinic, a Glo Skin Beauty stockist in Newark, Nottinghamshire, recommends to patients maintaining a peel result at home.
Recommended for recovery
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Restorative Cream 50 ml
Regular price £60.00 GBPRegular price -
Daily Hydration Drops 30 ml - instant hydration with hyaluronic acid
Regular price £74.00 GBPRegular price -
Restorative Mask 60 ml
Regular price £60.00 GBPRegular price -
HA-Revive Hyaluronic Mist 118 ml
Regular price £46.00 GBPRegular price
The recovery window
What to support, what to pause, and for how long.
Support with
A gentle, non-foaming cleanser and a simple barrier-supporting moisturiser. Keep the routine short.
Glo: Hydrate + Restore · Calm + SoothePause
All exfoliating acids, retinol, vitamin C and physical scrubs. Nothing that tingles.
Support with
Continue gentle cleansing and hydration. Reintroduce a broad-spectrum SPF every morning and reapply through the day.
Glo: Protect + PreventPause
Still hold off retinol and acids. No sunbeds, saunas or hot yoga.
Support with
Once any flaking has fully settled and the skin feels comfortable, reintroduce your actives one at a time, lowest strength first.
Glo: Firm + Repair · Brighten + GlowPause
Don't reintroduce two actives in the same week. If anything stings, pause again.
Avoid this mistake
The most common mistake after a peel is picking or pulling at flaking skin to speed it up. It doesn't speed anything up, and it's the single most reliable way to end up with a mark that outlasts the peel result you paid for. Let it shed on its own.
What this routine can and can't do
A good at-home routine protects and extends the result of a professional peel. It supports the skin barrier while it recovers and helps keep the brighter, smoother finish for longer. What it can't do is replace the peel itself, or fix a concern that needs an in-clinic assessment. If pigmentation or texture isn't responding the way you expected, that's a conversation for a practitioner, not a stronger product.
Had your peel here, or thinking about one? Peels themselves are a clinical treatment carried out at The London Road Clinic, not something to attempt at home. This page is about what to use between and after appointments.
What to reach for
Glo Skin Beauty categories that suit a recovering peel. Browse the range, not a single product.
Hydrate + Restore
Barrier support and hydration while the skin is reactive.
BrowseCalm + Soothe
Gentle formulas for the first few days, when less is more.
BrowseProtect + Prevent
Daily SPF is non-negotiable after a peel; new skin marks easily in sun.
BrowseBrighten + Glow
Once recovered, to maintain the evenness a peel reveals.
BrowseFrequently asked
When can I start using retinol again after a peel?
Most people can reintroduce retinol around two weeks after a peel, once any flaking has fully settled and the skin feels comfortable rather than tight or sensitive. Start at your lowest strength, two nights a week, and build back up. If the skin still feels reactive, wait a few more days. After a deeper peel, leave it longer.
Can I wear makeup after a chemical peel?
Usually after the first 24 to 48 hours, once the skin isn't broken or weeping, a light mineral makeup is fine. Avoid heavy, long-wear formulas while the skin is still shedding, and always remove gently.
Why is SPF so important after a peel?
A peel removes the outer layer that normally takes some of the sun's impact, so fresh skin marks far more easily. Daily broad-spectrum SPF is the single most important step for protecting the result and helping prevent new pigmentation.
My skin is flaking, is that normal?
Light flaking a few days after a peel is normal and expected as the treated layers shed. Keep the skin hydrated and let it come away on its own. Don't pick or exfoliate it. If you have significant pain, swelling or blistering, contact the clinic that performed the treatment.