Peptide 21 Amino Acid Exfoliating Peel Pads

Peter Thomas Roth

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Amino Acid Exfoliating Peel Pads is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 55 ingredients (39 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Exfoliating Scrubs & Peeling Gel
Ingredients
55
Low-risk
39
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 8/5
Good for dry skin
Glutamic Acid Borago Officinalis Seed Oil Octyldodecanol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butylene Glycol Histidine Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Sodium Lactate
Caution for dry skin
Salicylic Acid Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Sodium Hydroxide PPG-5-Ceteth-20 Silica
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 4/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Salicylic Acid Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Retinol
Sensitive Skin 5/26
Good for sensitive skin
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Tocopheryl Acetate Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Caution for sensitive skin
Glycine Glutamic Acid Lysine Valine Serine Aspartic Acid Alanine Arginine Octyldodecanol Isoleucine Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Butylene Glycol Tyrosine Threonine Salicylic Acid Phenylalanine Proline Histidine Citric Acid Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Benzoic Acid Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Phenoxyethanol Limonene Retinol

Ingredients list

55 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (9)
All55 Skin Conditioning48 Fragrance27 Hair Conditioning20 Masking13 Antistatic Agent13 Tonic6 Solvent5 Humectant5
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Amino Acids
1
Vitamin B Complex Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
9
A
Retinol
(Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
Water
(Solvent)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
3
B
Sodium Lactate
(Buffering Agent, Exfoliant, Humectant, Keratolytic)
1
Phytic Acid
(Chelating Agent, Oral Care Agent)
3
B
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
(Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting)
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
(Astringent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Soothing)
4
B
Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Threonine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Hair Waving Or Straightening)
1
A
Glutamic Acid
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent)
1
A
Serine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
A
Aspartic Acid
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
A
Arginine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
A
Alanine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
A
Proline
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Valine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking)
1
A
Histidine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Humectant)
1
A
Glycine
(Buffering Agent, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Agent Miscellaneous, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Lysine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent)
CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
B
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
Retinyl Palmitate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Miscellaneous)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
B
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
(Skin Conditioning)
Good for Sensitive Skin
Good for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
1
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
(Skin Conditioning)
citrus limon peel extract
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient, Skin Protecting, Tonic)
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
(Cleansing, Hair Conditioning, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Tonic)
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
Citrus Tangerina Peel Extract
(Astringent)
Mentha Piperita Extract
(Cleansing, Deodorant, Fragrance, Refreshing, Tonic)
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
(Anti Seborrheic, Cleansing, Oral Care, Skin Conditioning, Tonic)
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
(Fragrance, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Tonic)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
1
Aminobutyric Acid
(Hair Conditioning)
3
A
Potassium Sorbate
(Fragrance, Preservative)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
1
A
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
3
A
PEG-8 Dimethicone
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Leucine
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
(Antioxidant)
6
Limonene
(Deodorant, Perfuming, Solvent)
Allergens
Allergens
3
A
Benzoic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Preservative, Bulking Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Tyrosine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Proprietary, Skin Conditioning Agent Miscellaneous, Antistatic Agent, Masking, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Phenylalanine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Isoleucine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Octyldodecanol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming, Solvent)
1
2
A
Silica
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Sodium Propoxyhydroxypropyl Thiosulfate Silica
(Bulking Agent)

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

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Key ingredients

Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning, Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Exfoliant, Humectant
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent, Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Exfoliant, Skin Conditioning

Benefits

Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe
Good for dry skin
Good for oily/acne-prone skin

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains eu allergen
Retinol — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Amino Acids
Other
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1
Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Sodium Lactate
Buffering agent, Exfoliant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B Buffering agentExfoliantHumectantKeratolytic
Phytic Acid
Chelating agent, Oral care agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Chelating agentOral care agent
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
Emulsifying, Surfactant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B EmulsifyingSurfactant
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin conditioning, Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioningSkin protecting
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent, Hair conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AstringentHair conditioningSkin conditioningSoothing
Threonine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentHair waving or straightening
Glutamic Acid
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningHumectantAntistatic agent
Serine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
Aspartic Acid
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
Arginine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
Alanine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
Proline
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioning
Valine
Fragrance, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningAntistatic agentMasking
+ 29 more — see the full ingredients list above
Vitamin B Complex
Other
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Good for Dry Skin
Retinol
Skin conditioning
Potentially a skin irritantRead moreShow less
EWG 9 CIR A Skin conditioning Bad for Sensitive Skin
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Salicylic Acid
Antiacne agent, Antidandruff agent
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antiacne agentAntidandruff agentCorn/callus/wart removerDenaturantExfoliantFragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningKeratolyticMaskingPreservative Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B AntimicrobialAntioxidantAstringentEmollientHumectantMaskingOral care agentSkin conditioningSkin protectingTonicUv absorber Good for Oily Skin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A CIR B Skin conditioning Good for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Limonene
Deodorant, Perfuming
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 6 DeodorantPerfumingSolvent Allergens
Benzoic Acid
Fragrance, Ph adjuster
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A FragrancePh adjusterPreservativeBulking agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Morning only: Apply as the last step of your AM routine, after moisturiser, and reapply every ~2 hours of sun exposure.
  • 2 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Often avoided
Retinoids (Vitamin A) (Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate)

Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.

Use with caution
BHA (salicylic) (Salicylic Acid)

Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Retinoids (Vitamin A) 0.01–1%

Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.

Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

ASCORBIC ACID, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

BHA (salicylic) 0.5–2%

Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.

Salicylic Acid

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

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