I’ve been using this daily peel for three weeks and my face feels like a peach that’s been gently wiped with a silk cloth. Not a single grain of sand or crushed walnut shell in sight.
It’s a liquid that works smarter — enzymes literally chew up the dead skin cells while lactic acid loosens the glue holding them on. That’s the whole job. No friction required.
Ourself Daily Peel is $88 for 30ml — that’s a splurge, but it’s also the shortest ingredient list I’ve seen on a chemical exfoliant. Five components. That’s it.
Lactic Acid 10%
Smoothly dissolves the bonds between dead skin cells without the sting of higher percentages
Protease Enzymes
Protein-dissolving enzymes that work like tiny Pac-Men eating the flaky bits
Hyaluronic Acid
Pulls water in so you don’t end up tight and squeaky like a dish
Glycerin
A humectant that keeps the whole thing from feeling like rubbing alcohol
Water
The base — boring but essential, like water in a soup
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
No fragrance. No alcohol. No pH adjusters that mess with the acid’s magic. The lactic acid sits at a pH that actually works — around 3.5 — so it’s effective without being a chemical burn.
The protease enzymes are the unsung heroes here. They target keratin protein specifically, which means they’re eating the dull layer, not your healthy skin barrier.
- Lactic Acid: dissolves the ‘glue’ between dead cells
- Protease Enzymes: digest keratin protein on the surface
- Hyaluronic Acid: keeps skin plump after exfoliation
- Glycerin: prevents that stripped, tight feeling
Photo: sarah b / Unsplash
It’s watery — like a thin serum that sinks in within 15 seconds. No tacky residue, no film. I put it on after cleansing and wait 60 seconds before moisturizer. Weirdly, it doesn’t tingle at all. That freaked me out at first — I thought it was doing nothing.
Week two is when I noticed the real shift. My nose texture — those tiny clogged-looking dots that never go away — just smoothed out. Not completely gone, but noticeably less bumpy. The surprise? My chin stopped flaking under makeup. That never happens with other peels.
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
My pores look smaller because there’s no gunk stretching them out. My skin reflects light instead of scattering it. But my deep smile lines? Still there. This doesn’t touch wrinkles — it just makes everything look fresher on top.
Photo: Eurico Craveiro / Unsplash
This is the peel I’ll repurchase when the bottle runs dry. It’s gentle enough for every day, effective enough to actually see a difference, and simple enough that I don’t need a chemistry degree to use it.