| Verdict | Deconstruct's Exfoliating Serum is the Indian answer to The Ordinary's AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution — but formulated with more nuance and at an even lower price. The 18% AHA is a multi-acid blend: lactic acid (gentle, hydrating exfoliation), glycolic acid (deep-penetrating texture refinement), tartaric acid (antioxidant AHA from grapes), and malic acid (apple-derived surface-level brightening). The 2% salicylic acid handles oil-soluble pore clearing. Five acids working at different depths and mechanisms is genuinely sophisticated formulation — this isn't a one-acid-at-high-concentration bludgeon. Green tea extract adds antioxidant support, and lactococcus ferment lysate provides probiotic-derived barrier conditioning that helps the skin tolerate the acid load. The formula is only fifteen ingredients, fragrance-free, and brutally straightforward. At ₹649 (~$8), Deconstruct is delivering prescription-grade exfoliation at convenience-store pricing. Use twice weekly, not daily — this is a treatment, not a toner. | The Derma Co's flagship weekly peel — and one of India's most-reviewed chemical exfoliants. The formulation runs four acids at meaningful concentration: 5% glycolic (smallest molecule, deepest penetration), 5% lactic (gentler, hydration-positive), 5% mandelic (largest molecule, most tolerable), and 1% salicylic (BHA, oil-soluble for blackhead clearance). Buffered to pH 3.6 — acidic enough to work, gentle enough to label 'beginner.' Chamomile, calendula, and green tea provide post-acid soothing; aloe and hyaluronic acid restore hydration. Used as a 10-minute weekly mask format (apply, time, rinse off — not leave-on). At ₹499 (~$5) for 30ml, this is the most accessible four-acid peel in any beauty origin. Comparable Western 'PHA peels' or 'multi-acid resurfacers' are 4-6x the price. |
