Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare just dropped a new version of the Alpha Beta peel. And the internet is losing it.
The old pads burned in a good way. These burn in a “wait, is this working?” way. The pH shift is real — and it changes everything.
Still two steps. Still $88 for 30 treatments. Still claims to resurface in 2 minutes. But the texture? Completely different.
Step 1 feels thinner
Like watery toner now, not a soaked pad. You need to press harder.
Step 2 is less creamy
The neutralizer used to feel like a moisturizer. Now it evaporates in 8 seconds flat.
Wait time is shorter
They say 1 minute for sensitive skin now. The old version needed the full 2.
Photo: Alexandra Tran / Unsplash
They swapped lactic acid for gluconolactone — a PHA that’s bigger molecule, gentler, but slower. The vitamin C is still there, but the retinol got dialed back.
- Glycolic Acid: Still the exfoliation boss
- Gluconolactone: New PHA, less sting, more hydration
- Azelaic Acid: Brightens without bleaching
- Retinol: Lower dose than 2024 version
Photo: Christian Agbede / Unsplash
First use: felt like nothing. No tingle. No redness. I actually checked if the pad was dry. Texture is slippery-wet, not soaked-soggy. Absorbs before you can spread it.
Week 3: my pores look smaller. But the “glow” took 10 days, not 3. Surprising downside — my makeup pills over it now. Never happened with the old one.
Photo: Rosa Rafael / Unsplash
Texture improved 30%. Brightness? Same. But the “tight” feeling after is gone — replaced by plumpness. My fine lines didn’t vanish, but they stopped looking angry.
Photo: Pablo Merchán Montes / Unsplash
Better for sensitive skin. Worse for thrill-seekers. It’s a maintenance peel now, not a transformation one — and that’s honestly fine for daily use.