TOV Hevatox Exfoliating Pads

Hevatox Exfoliating Pads

A hundred and forty dollars for pre-soaked exfoliating pads combining PHA and AHA — two families of acid that do related but different jobs. No grains, no scrubbing, nothing abrasive dragged across your face.

Desiree has been a licensed esthetician since 1995, and exfoliation is the category where she spends most of her time talking people down rather than up. More is not better here.

Who it's for

Skin that looks dull, feels rough to the touch, or gets congested around the nose and jaw. Also anyone who has tried scrubs and found them too harsh, which is most people with reactive skin.

If your skin is currently irritated, peeling, or recovering from a treatment, this is not the week to start. Wait until it's calm.

PHA or AHA — what's the difference?

AHAs are small molecules that work quickly at the skin's surface, which is what makes them effective and also what makes them sting on sensitive skin.

PHAs are larger. They penetrate more slowly and more evenly, which generally makes them gentler and better tolerated by skin that reacts easily.

Having both in one pad means you get surface smoothing from the AHA with the PHA moderating the pace. That's the reason for the combination, and it's why these suit people who couldn't get on with a straight glycolic product.

How to use them

Evening only, on clean dry skin, before serums. Sweep one pad over the face and neck, avoiding the eye area and any broken skin. Follow with something hydrating.

Start at twice a week. Not nightly, not every other night — twice a week, for the first fortnight. If your skin is comfortable after that, you can build up.

Ask Desiree what she recommends for your skin specifically. Exfoliation frequency is the single most personal variable in skincare and the one people most often get wrong.

The morning after matters

Freshly exfoliated skin burns more easily. Sunscreen the next morning isn't an upsell attached to this product — it's part of using it correctly.

If you're not going to wear SPF, don't buy exfoliating acids. That's not a sales line, it's the honest version.

Questions people ask

How often should I use them?

Twice a week to start. Build up only if your skin stays comfortable, and ask Desiree before going past every other night.

Will they make my skin peel?

They shouldn't. Visible peeling means you've gone too hard or too often — space them further apart rather than pushing through it.

Can I use them with retinol?

Not on the same night. Alternate them, and if your skin is new to either, introduce one at a time so you know which is doing what.

My skin stings when I use acids. Are these different?

Possibly. The PHA component is the gentler of the two and is generally better tolerated, but stinging is a signal worth listening to. Tell Desiree what happened with the product that stung and she'll tell you honestly whether these are worth trying.

How long will one jar last?

That depends entirely on how often you use them. At twice a week, a good while.

Use them with

Isdin Eryfotona Actinica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ — the next-morning step, not optional
Corthe Dermo Sensitive CICA Ampoule — for the nights your skin wants calming rather than exfoliating
TOV Caviplla O2 Serum — the treatment step, layered after
See the full TOV Medical range