There was a time that the only way your could treat your skin to an AHA treatment was to pay a visit to your beautician. But lets be real, many of us are so time poor (and often short of funds – damn you Pizza budget blow out) that spending a couple of hours in a treatment room is something that we just cant afford. Enter a slew of easy to use and considerably cheaper at home options to help us get our glow on without heading to a salon.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) treatments are not new and have long been accepted as an exfoliating ingredient which gives a far more thorough, even result than scrubbing your face with abrasive scrubs or those with the now banned polymer beads. AHAs are naturally occurring acids which are are known for their exfoliating properties.

Regular use of an AHA product can help you to reveal your best skin by removing dead skin cells (this process accelerates the natural shedding process) removing congestion and minimizing the look of fine lines.

In most at home treatments the percentage of acid is kept quite low and these products are best applied at night before bed and then not rinsed until morning (let all those hard working acids do their job over night) Its not recommend that these are used in the morning as the acid can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.

One of the most well loved chemical exfolinats is from Australian brand Alpha H. The Alpha H Liquid Gold ($50.96) is a clear, thin lotion. A small amount is applied to a cotton pad and wiped all over the face in upward sweeping motions, for a more gentle treatment leave for half hour before applying your night cream. For more potency, skip the moisturiser all together. The secret to this product are the concentrated levels of Glycolic Acid

The Go To Exfoliating Swipeys are a single use pad soaked in a Lactic acid rich exfoliating solution, The Exfoliating swipeys ($46 for 50 wipes)  have a slightly abrasive texture as well which help to slough away dead skin cells while the solution goes to work at revealing the fresh new skin underneath. These should be used once to twice a week to keep skin looking smooth and ready for any foundation that you might like to wear.

The Arcona Tabula Rasa line is a favourite amongst die hard skincare fans. The Tabula Rasa Pads ($69 for 45 pads)contain the signature Lactic and Salicylic Acid combination soaked into the super portable pads which helps clear clogged pores and exfoliate the skin to leave it clear and smooth and ready for makeup application.

Philosophy’s The Microdelivery Overnight Anti-Aging Peel ($110) is a two step process which has the benefits of both an overnight peel and a restorative sleep mask. Step one is to apply the Step one solution with a cotton pad. Using the solution in a sweeping motion of the face before applying the cooling gel cream to sooth the skin overnight.