In my week of product testing, I used the treatment twice, following Gross’s instructions to use an upward circular motion to make the best use of the physical exfoliation. The folded-up towelette had just enough moisture for both legs, and I unfolded it to use the remaining moisture on my arms.
The first thing I noticed is that the scent triggered a sense-memory and sent me straight to my childhood dentist’s office. You’ll know exactly what I mean when you open the package, even if you don’t get braces from Dr. Martin: it’s a chemical smell mixed with something sweet, which probably comes from the combination of jasmine, lavender, and grapefruit extracts.
More importantly, the pads instantly dissolved the ashy layer of dead skin on my shins and calves. (I haven’t worn tights since before the pandemic, but I’m confident that if I had, I would have taken rolled them off to reveal a shower of dead skin. This solves that problem.) I felt about 20 seconds of tingling as the product went to work.
As promised, the product turns into a moisturizing agent, which means it doesn’t immediately dissolve into the skin. Instead, it leaves a thin, ever-so-slightly sticky residue (I wouldn’t put on those tights immediately after use, but the good news is chances are you’re wearing loose clothes already.) The second time I gave myself a swipe-down, the tingling sensation lasted only for a moment or two, which I take to mean that the product had done its job the first time around, and I had much less built-up dead skin.
As Gross explains, the product is designed to improve skin radiance immediately, with added benefits like firming showing up over time. “Luminosity, dewiness, and smooth texture is there within two to three minutes,” he says. “And not all ingredients give instant results, so the result gets even better two days later.”
A box of eight towels should last one month, and I for one am very ready to see how my skin looks after a lifetime of ignoring body exfoliation.
The Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment launches at sephora.com on December 8 for $58 for eight peel pads.
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