Peter Thomas Roth 40% Triple Acid Resurfacing Peel
The Peter Thomas Roth 40% Triple Acid Resurfacing Peel is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (30 low-risk) rates it Excellent (90/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
The Peter Thomas Roth 40% Triple Acid Resurfacing Peel is a exfoliating scrubs & peeling gel. Our analysis of its 38 ingredients (30 low-risk) rates it Excellent (90/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Glycolic Acid
(Exfoliant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Sodium PCA
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Arginine
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Antistatic Agent, Masking) |
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Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Polysorbate 20
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Soyethyl Morpholinium Ethosulfate | |
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4-t-Butylcyclohexanol
(Masking, Perfuming) |
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Acetic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Cyclodextrin
(Absorbent, Chelating Agent) |
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Myristyl Alcohol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Surfactant Foam Booster, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Ascorbyl Palmitate
(Antioxidant, Masking) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Tocopherol (Vitamin E) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Cholesterol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
(Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Agent Occlusive, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
Bad for Oily Skin
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Methyldihydrojasmonate
(Masking) |
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Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Antistatic Agent, Emollient) |
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Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying) |
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Glyceryl Undecylenate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Isohexadecane
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Solvent) |
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Sodium Borate
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
(Anticaking Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Opacifying, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Viscosity Increasing Agent) |
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Dipropylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Polysorbate 80
(Denaturant, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Sorbitan Oleate
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
Bad for Oily Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Mica
(Cosmetic Colorant, Opacifying) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Diazolidinyl Urea
(Preservative) |
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Methylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Propylparaben
(Fragrance, Preservative, Perfuming) |
Paraben
|
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
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 →
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
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.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
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.
Ascorbyl Palmitate
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
OTC leave-on AHAs are usually 5–10%. The effect also depends on pH and free-acid value, not the percentage alone.
Glycolic 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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