My 56-Year-Old Mom and I Agree—These Peel Pads Are the Secret to Brighter, Smoother Skin

When I asked my mom what she wanted for her 56th birthday, she requested only one gift—Yse Beauty’s Your Favorite Ex Exfoliating Pads. Before you ask, no, she doesn’t normally ask me for beauty samples (and yes, I do frequently offer, like any good beauty-editor daughter would!). She doesn’t wear perfume, and she keeps her skincare and makeup routines very minimal.

But these peel pads are special. They’re gentle yet effective, able to clear dark spots, smooth fine lines, and prevent breakouts in a single swipe. I know because I’m genuinely obsessed with them too—so are a gazillion others, it seems, as they had been sold out for months. (Yes, really. My mom counted the days.)

Now, you can likely guess why she was begging for the birthday gift. She’s been rationing her final few discs for weeks, hoping I could work some beauty-editor magic and snag a top-secret box. The brand was kind enough to send me its one and only sample left, and I was officially crowned daughter of the year. (Thank you, Yse!) Fast-forward a few weeks, and the beloved peel pads finally arrived back in stock—as you can surmise, my mom was pretty hyped.

Allow me to reiterate that my mom doesn’t get this jazzed about skincare products, like, ever. She’s a true product loyalist; once she finds a formula she loves, she rarely ever changes course, and Yse’s peel pads are definitely her most-prized beauty possession. I can totally see why—since adding them to my own routine, they’ve become nonnegotiables for a clear, healthy glow. I’ve convinced friends, other family members, and fellow beauty editors to give them a try, and even though I’d selfishly love to gatekeep so they don’t sell out again, I simply must share every reason you should give them a whirl.

“Touch my face,” Molly Sims (yes, the Molly Sims, who is the founder of Yse Beauty) instructs as we sit on a plush couch at NYC’s Nine Orchard Hotel. Let me back up. It’s August in the city, which means peak sweat and humidity—and for me means angry zits and uneven skin texture. I brush her cheek, and whoa, it is unbelievably soft. It also appears smooth and even toned, not a sunspot in sight. Sims, who admits she has struggled with cystic acne for years, tells me her skin has absolutely transformed since using her Your Favorite Ex Exfoliating Pads; after telling her about my own sensitive, acne-prone skin, she assures me that I’ll fall head over heels for these pads.

I wasn’t expecting miracles. Sure, Sims had glowing things to say about the product, but what brand founder wouldn’t? Still, I went home with a bag full of Yse goodies and tested the pads that week. Pardon my French, but I immediately had a “holy shit” moment. I had been struggling with chin and forehead breakouts for the whole summer (again, sweat and humidity are not a good combo for me), and nothing had successfully kept those clogged pores—and their subsequent dark spots—at bay. That is, until Your Favorite Ex.

Each round comes infused with glycolic acid, gluconolactone (a very gentle exfoliator), and PHAs, all of which dissolve dead skin cells and smooth texture while preventing inflammation. Glycolic acid is also known for promoting collagen production and skin brightness, which is why it’s a godsend ingredient for fine lines and dark spots. My mom specifically loves how it keeps her skin soft, and like me, she discovered the pads help decrease her hormonal acne.

The formula also comes buffered with ectoin, an ingredient known for soothing and strengthening the skin barrier, so it doesn’t give me the same stinging, burning sensation as the other alcohol-soaked solutions I swiped on in middle school. I experience a little tingling around more sensitive areas (like my cheeks), but my skin doesn’t flush whatsoever. (Neither does my mom’s, FWIW.)

As for the glow, well, it’s unmatched. The first time I used the pads, I was greeted with noticeably brighter, tighter-looking skin in the a.m. I truly have never experienced such immediate results from an exfoliating product, and my mom agrees. “I am literally addicted,” she recently texted me.

Suffice it to say we both will never part with these pads. I didn’t think the unassuming exfoliator would become such a secret weapon for brighter skin and fewer breakouts, but for me, these blow every other skin-clearing product out of the water. So I highly suggest copping a box (or three) for yourself before they inevitably sell out again. Given their best-seller status, I don’t expect them to be available for long!

Oh, and heads up: From now until December 2, the brand is offering 25% off orders over $175, 20% off orders over $125, and 15% off orders over $100 for Black Friday. (The price reduction will be automatically added at checkout.) The peel pads are tagged at $72, which means you’d be $28 away from scoring a discount. So, yeah, I really expect these guys to be gone in a flash. Find more of my Yse favorites below to fill your cart, plus other effective exfoliators (peels, pads, serums, and more!) I’ve been slathering on recently—you know, just in case Your Favorite Ex is already OOS.

More Yse Beauty Products I’m Obsessed With

Shop Other Exfoliators I Love