Reddit – Dive into anything

PREFACE: This review is focusing more on why this product is so misleading in terms of its packaging rather than the product performance itself. I’ve no doubt that 14.5% centella and 0.001% tea tree might be helping someones skin. I don’t know much about trading standards/advertising laws in other countries, but here in the UK, this product would have DEFINITELY been banned by the ASA for its misleading claims.

“AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum” is quite a name to live up to. Even if no miracle really occurs in 30 days, this product promises to be an acid exfoliant. I’m expecting the usual over-the-top claims of miracles (this is AB we’re talking about here) but the ingredients can’t lie, right?

The green bottle itself has the words “AHA / BHA / PHA” mentioned THREE TIMES ON THE FRONT alone. It’s the first word on the packet, its mentioned again on the banner below it and a third time on the little description. It is clearly the major selling point of the product.

So whats the problem? If it has the acids, it must be an acid exfoliator right? It has a very impressive and extensive ingredient list, boasting the following:

Citric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Pyruvic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Lactobionic Acid

Wow! “How could this NOT be an acid exfoliator?”, I hear you ask. The concentrations of said acids are measured in a very strange measurement called ‘ppb’. Parts per billion.

    SLIGHTLY RELEVANT HOMEOPATHY TANGENT:
Homeopathy is pseudo-medical "Medicine". The basis of the ideology is that what "poisons you" (what makes you ill) is also what can cure you. You just need to water it down enough. If you get bitten by a snake, the same snake venom can cure you. Just water it down to a concentration (measured in ppb).

Obviously this doesn't work. Nothing is really effective in a few ppb. You're just drinking very expensive water (there's also some weird rituals of flinging things around in saddles but I won't go into that).

Yes. Parts per billion is a very silly and unscientific way of measuring things (RIP chemists reading this). In fact, as a rule of thumb when you’re out shopping; if something is measured in ppb, be suspicious, stay away, tuck and roll, call for backup etc.

All SEVEN of the acids combined turns out to have a concentration of 0.0217 %.

If you have experience with using acids, you know how mad this is.

Not to mention how it’s marketed towards acne sufferers and contains a whopping 20 different root/fruit/bark/flower/leaf extracts! And 13 different essential oils! This is every acne sufferers nightmare.

TL;DR: It’s got some centella, some fancy water and pore clogging oils. It’s also got basically no acid and was probably made by a homeopath or a psychopath or someone who walked down a garden path, squeezed random leaves into a bottle and tried to market it to us.

    EDIT: MATHS
(Citric Acid (7500Ppb)
Glycolic Acid (3000Ppb)
Lactic Acid (3000Ppb)
Malic Acid (3000Ppb)
Pyruvic Acid (500Ppb)
Tartaric Acid (100Ppm)
Lactobionic Acid (100 Ppm)

In total this is 217 ppm which is 0.0217 %