Sleep Glycolic
FAQs

Can you use Sleep Glycolic with other Direct Acids?

Never layer Direct Acids - simply switch out your everyday Direct Acid on the days you want to use Sleep Glycolic in your evening routine. E.g You can use Press & Glow in your AM regime, Sleep Glycolic in the PM, then Press & Glow in the following AM regime.

Can I use Sleep Glycolic alongside a wash-off acid cleanser/treatment?

Sleep Glycolic can be used with acid cleansers or treatments, for example Surface Radiance Cleanse.

Would you recommend Sleep Glycolic for pregnancy or nursing Mothers?

Unfortunately, as a cosmetic brand we are unable to provide specific medical advice relating to our products. We would strongly advise speaking with your GP or Midwife so that they can give you an accurate recommendation. The full ingredients list for each of our products can be found on the product pages of the Medik8 website.

For general guidance, we would recommend that you avoid the following during pregnancy:
Vitamin A serums, including Intelligent Retinol, Crystal Retinal, any r-Retinoate and Night Ritual Vitamin A
Leave on salicylic acid (BHA) products, including Blemish Control Pads, Blemish SOS, Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit
Leave on peels, including Sleep Glycolic

This list is not exhaustive and must be used in conjunction with the advice from a medical professional.

Can I use Sleep Glycolic in the morning?

We do not advise to use Sleep Glycolic during the day, as glycolic acid can make skin more sensitive to sun damage. Instead, use 2-3 times a week after cleansing in the evening. Follow with other serums and moisturiser. Always use SPF the morning after.

Would you recommend Sleep Glycolic for sensitive skins?

Sleep Glycolic is suitable for normal skin types - including congested skins, oily skin types, uneven textured skins and those prone to visible hyperpigmentation. This is a high concentration exfoliating acid product, and while we have minimised irritation for healthy skin types, those with inflammatory skin conditions are likely to find Sleep Glycolic to be too powerful, particularly on broken skin. It is not suitable for very sensitive skins, including inflamed acne, rosacea and eczema.

Can I use Sleep Glycolic with vitamin A?

Yes, Sleep Glycolic can be used with vitamin A - you can find it in the Wrinkle Repair evening regime alongside Crystal Retinal. They can provide enhanced results when used in combination.

Can Sleep Glycolic be used when phasing in new strength or type of vitamin A with Medik8’s phase-in instructions?

We would not recommend the use of Sleep Glycolic for new users phasing-in vitamin A. While the effects of vitamin A are optimised with the use of Sleep Glycolic, we would always advise users to allow their skin to get used to the prior before attempting to accelerate their results.

Once skin has gotten into the rhythm of using vitamin A nightly (once phase-in has been completed, or a couple of weeks of using a new strength) Sleep Glycolic is ideal for enhancing the visible anti-ageing benefits.

Can I use Sleep Glycolic in the summer months?

Exfoliating acids, including Sleep Glycolic, are completely safe to use in the summertime or on holiday, as long as you are applying a high protection sunscreen every day. We strongly recommend applying an ample amount of sunscreen like Physical Sunscreen or Advanced Day Total Protect the day after using Sleep Glycolic, as glycolic acid is known for making skin more sensitive to sun damage. If you are in direct sunlight, we recommend you reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.

How do I use Sleep Glycolic alongside a peeling course like 12 Weeks to Wow?

We do not recommend the use of leave-on acids during 12 Weeks to Wow, to allow the skin barrier time to heal between frequent peels.

However, Sleep Glycolic is a great option for use during the 6-8 week breaks between 12 Weeks to Wow courses, to help maintain results.

If you are having less frequent peels (eg. every 3 months), then Sleep Glycolic is ideal to use in between peels to maintain and optimise results. 

How long should you wait after having a peel to use Sleep Glycolic?

Sleep Glycolic should be avoided for 5-7 days post peel.

Will Sleep Glycolic give me spots?

When you start using a new product which can cause an increase in skin cell turnover, you might experience purging. The increase in skin cell turnover can cause debris trapped deep in existing clogged pores to quickly rise to the surface and appear as new spots. Purging is a good thing - it shows that your skin cells are regenerating quicker, pushing out any congestion and will ultimately lead to a smoother-looking, blemish-free complexion in the long run. 

If you have just started using an ingredient like vitamin A, or exfoliating acids (glycolic, lactic, mandelic, salicylic acid etc), and have noticed some extra blemishes, don’t worry. This is probably a sign of purging, and should subside if you persevere with the product for a month or two. Phasing the product slowly into your routine can help reduce the chances of purging.

If you are experiencing blemishes which are not going away after a couple of months of using the product in question, we recommend to stop using it and try something else. 

Why do we use Arginine for Time Release in the chemical peels, and crystal encapsulation in Sleep Glycolic?

Chemical peels are designed to be only in contact with the skin for up to 10 minutes, and therefore we use arginine which works as a fast time release. Some acid is already free to penetrate the skin instantly, and some is bonded to arginine. These bonds break very quickly when applied to the skin which releases the majority of the acid within the 10 minute contact time. 

Crystal encapsulation is broken down by skin enzymes overnight. Hence this technique would not work optimally in the 10 minute peels but is ideal for an overnight treatment, to drip-feed the skin with acid overnight.