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Share your experience (or just follow along!) on social with #LiquidGoldChallenge @alphahskincare
GETTING STARTED
Pre-Challenge Checklist
If you haven't already, tick these off to make sure you're ready to glow by night 1 of your #LiquidGoldChallenge.
- Take selfies of your bare skin before the challenge
so you can track your results - Photo tip: Take your skin photos facing a window for the best light!
- Choose your 3 alternating Liquid Gold nights (e.g. Mon, Wed, Fri OR Tues, Thurs, Sun)
- Put away and refrain from using any other resurfacing skincare products during the challenge (e.g. retinol, serums, AHAs and BHAs) to avoid impairing your skin barrier
- New to exfoliation? Patch test a small area before using all over
What to Expect
Using Liquid Gold for the first time, or the first time in a while?
Here's what you can expect to see (and feel) during the #LiquidGoldChallenge.
Follow the instructions carefully over the next 21 days, and you can expect to:
- Feel the tingle in 3 seconds - This means it's working!
- Notice a visible glow in 3 nights (or less!) - Skin looks refreshed and radiant overnight
- See skin transform in just 3 weeks - Feel an improvement in skin radiance, clarity, texture and tone
Results Breakdown
Results from chemical exfoliation with Glycolic Acid are cumulative.
This means the best results come from ongoing and consistent use. When used correctly, Liquid Gold is clinically proven to improve skin tone and luminosity, skin texture and skin elasticity.
It's basically the closest thing you can get to a professional skin treatment, at home.
How Liquid Gold Works
After Day 1:
Skin feels smoother and looks more refreshed, like you've had a great night's sleep. Makeup also applies beautifully.
This is because Glycolic Acid dissolves the bonds that hold dead skin cells together on the skin's surface, which clears the way for fresher, plumper skin cells.
After Week 1:
Skin appears visibly brighter, more even and radiant, as Glycolic Acid continues lifting dead skin cells.
This includes dead skin cells stained with pigment that can make skin appear uneven or mottled.
After Week 3:
Glycolic Acid has removed the majority of upper dead skin cells.
Increased cellular turnover is also stimulating your skin's ability to produce its own Hyaluronic Acid and collagen.
The result? Skin appears smoother, plumper and more radiant.
Surface hyperpigmentation looks less noticeable, open pores appear refined and less visible, and the appearance of fine lines are minimised, too.
How to Use Liquid Gold Like a Skin Expert
Here's your breakdown of exactly how to use Liquid Gold to get the results Alpha-H is famous for!
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Step 1: Cleanse
Remove makeup, SPF and general grime from the day to prep your skin for Liquid Gold.
Pro tip: Wanna cleanse like a skin expert?
Double cleanse with a balm cleanser on dry skin first, followed by a water-based gel or cream cleanser on damp skin.
Step 2: Exfoliate
Swipe your pre-soaked Liquid Gold pad onto clean, dry skin over the face, neck and décolletage.
Avoid any delicate areas, like around the eyes or over any irritation.
Step 3: That's it!
Leave Liquid Gold on its own to work its magic while you sleep.
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Step 1: Cleanse
Same deal, thoroughly cleanse as you would every night.
Step 2: Hydrating or nourishing serums
At Alpha-H HQ, we always stick to serums with skin barrier-boosting ingredients on non-Liquid Gold nights, like:
- Hyaluronic 8 Super Serum for dry/dehydrated skin
- Vitamin B Serum with 5% Niacinamide for oilier and blemish-prone skins
- Vitamin E Serum with 1% Ceramide Complex for everyone, but especially sensitive skin-havers
Step 3. Moisturise
Finish with your go-to moisturiser and/or face oil, and you're done!
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Step 1: Cleanse
Wash your face using a cleanser. Dry skin-havers might prefer to just cleanse with water in the mornings.
Step 2: A Vitamin C serum
Massage a few drops of your chosen Vitamin C serum into clean, dry skin.
This will help protect skin against environmental damage that can contribute to signs of premature ageing.
Step 3: A hydrating serum (optional)
If you like, layer a hydrating or barrier-boosting serum containing ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide and/or Panthenol over your Vitamin C serum.
Step 4: Moisturiser (optional)
Apply your go-to moisturiser.
Oily skin types might want to skip this step in Summer - it's up to you!
Step 5: SPF (non-negotiable)
Sunscreen should be the last step of your morning skincare routine, every single day!
Liquid Gold Hacks
Liquid Gold performs best on its own as layering with other products makes the treatment less effective.
Skin is slightly sensitive? Layer Liquid Gold with the Alpha-H Golden Haze Face Oil or your preferred moisturiser once skin is dry.
Don't forget to swipe excess exfoliant from your pad on the backs of your arms, elbows or even dry heels!
Feel a slight tingling sensation on the skin after applying Liquid Gold? This means it's working! This will linger for a few minutes before dissipating.
Burning and stinging isn't normal - if you experience this, please stop use and let us know so we can assist.
P.S. We're Serious About Wearing SPF Every Day!
You won't see visible results from exfoliation unless you're protecting your skin by wearing sunscreen every single day.
Always apply and re-apply an adequate amount of your chosen broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, but especially after using Liquid Gold the night before.
Answering Your Liquid Gold FAQs
Check out more in-depth answers to the most common Alpha-H Liquid Gold questions our customer care team of skin experts receives below!
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Short answer:
3 nights per week, after cleansing and before face oil (or on its own!).
To keep your routine consistent while using Liquid Gold, we recommend double cleansing with Melting Moment Cleansing Balm and Balancing Cleanser.
On the nights you’re not using Liquid Gold, alternate between hydrating products like Vitamin B Serum, Vitamin E Serum, Essential Hydration Cream and Golden Haze Face Oil.
And of course, always finish your morning routine with an SPF50+ to protect from damaging UV rays.
Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF50+ is a hydrating option, while Protection Plus SPF50+ has a mattifying finish.
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It’s normal to feel a tingling sensation on the skin after application.
Don’t worry, it’ll linger for a few minutes before dissipating, revealing a fresher, firmer complexion and natural glow.
But we can't stress this enough - topical products shouldn't burn, sting or cause major discomfort.
This doesn't mean the product is 'working', rather, it's likely impairing your skin barrier.
Always discontinue use if this happens, and reach out to our skin team for help if you need!
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For best results, don’t apply a moisturiser over the top of Liquid Gold, as this will buffer the low pH and reduce the efficacy.
If your skin is slightly sensitive or you prefer a more comfortable feel, apply Golden Haze Face Oil afterwards once your skin is touch dry.
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If you’re new-ish to active skincare or exfoliation, then no!
But if you’ve been using active skincare for a while, you can use Vitamin A and Liquid Gold on alternating evenings along with ‘rest nights’ (i.e. only hydrating serums and moisturiser) in a skin cycling routine.
Avoid layering Liquid Gold with Vitamin A products like retinol serums and even prescription retinoids on the same night – these products all resurface the skin, so it’s the fastest way to impair your skin barrier!
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Yes! Apply your Vitamin C serum in the mornings, and Liquid Gold in the evenings only.
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Salicylic Acid products and Glycolic Acid products, like Liquid Gold, both exfoliate the skin, so avoid using them on the same night.
The only exception? A Salicylic Acid spot treatment like Alpha-H’s Instant Action BHA Blemish Treatment. This can be applied directly to breakouts.
If you have oily skin or blemish and blackhead-prone areas you want to treat, you can swap Liquid Gold out for a Salicylic Acid product like Alpha-H’s Clear Skin Tonic.
Salicylic Acid is great at breaking down the oily gunk blocking your pores and reducing acne-causing bacteria.
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Not to sound like a broken record, but using too many exfoliants in your skincare routine is the fastest way to impair your skin barrier.
You’ll get the best results from Liquid Gold by using it 3 nights per week.
However, you can technically swap Liquid Gold for another exfoliant on one of those nights.
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Some people often report noticing a difference in their skin after just one use of Liquid Gold!
Waking to a brightened, smoother complexion the next morning.
For most significant results to show, skin often needs a full skin renewal cycle which is around 28 days.
Alpha-H also commissioned an independent clinical review of Liquid Gold – used within a balanced routine for 8 weeks.
The results speak for themselves:
Skin Elasticity was shown to be improved by 93% after the 8 weeks, and 88% of participants noticed a significant improvement in skin texture the end of the trial.
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If you experience a flare-up, stop using Liquid Gold and revert to a simple routine of a cream cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen until the skin has recovered.
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Signs of an impaired skin barrier include redness, itching, blistering and ongoing irritation when applying topical skincare (i.e. your skin is sensitised).
Other tells could be heat reactions to skincare (e.g. flushes, skin feeling hot and aggravated), or a stinging feeling when applying things that shouldn’t sting, like water!
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Time and patience!
Stop using all your serums, exfoliants and active skincare treatments. Move to a 3-step routine of a non-foaming cream cleanser, a fragrance-free moisturiser, and sunscreen every morning.
It can take up to 4-6 weeks for your skin barrier to heal. When your skin feels ready, add in a non-exfoliating/resurfacing serum like Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid and/or Vitamin E. See how your skin responds for another week or two, and then try adding other products back into your routine one by one.
Slow and steady wins the race here, otherwise you’ll end up back at square one!
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Anyone who wants naturally fresh, radiant skin, and fast.
Most skin types can use Liquid Gold - it's for anyone looking to even out skin tone and texture for extra GLOW.
Time-poor people who need a one-step routine will love it, too.
That said, we have other Alpha-H exfoliants to suit specific skin concerns:
- Alpha-H Clear Skin Tonic = Best for oily skin, pores and breakouts
- Alpha-H Generation Glow Gentle Exfoliating Treatment = Best for sensitive skin
- Alpha-H Midnight Reboot Serum = Best for managing signs of ageing
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Yes, Liquid Gold is perfectly safe for use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding/lactating.
If unsure, always seek personalised advice from your medical professional.
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Our skin experts recommend Liquid Gold for adults.
However, for more personalised advice, you can request a live Virtual Skin Consultation here.
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Yes, Liquid Gold is cruelty-free!
It is also made in Australia with locally-sourced botanical ingredients, without parabens, SLS/SLES and mineral oil.
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Strap in for the science-y explanation of chemical exfoliation benefits:
- The removal of the stratum corneum (the top layer of the skin, known as the epidermis) stimulates the production of fresh new skin cells
- On a cellular level chemical exfoliation creates an increase in epidermal thickness and uniformity. In other words, the skin underneath the top layer becomes fuller and thicker, which is what helps plump out the look of fine lines
- Having a thin stratum corneum (top skin layer) and those thicker lower layers provides better light reflection, radiance and luminosity, giving the skin a desirable glow
- Chemical exfoliation also removes damaged abnormal and hyperpigmented skin cells – these are replaced with healthy, more organised cells, which results in a reduction in the appearance of hyperpigmentation
- Collagen and elastin production along with these reorganised cells on the skin’s surface can also help to minimise sagging around skin follicles, making open pores appear refined and less visible
- We say you get the best results from long-term chemical exfoliation, but why? Because the results are cumulative – beyond superficial results, chemical exfoliants induce a controlled inflammatory action deeper in the dermal tissue with ongoing use
- Inflammation in the skin when uncontrolled isn’t a great thing BUT through this controlled inflammation, the skin can stimulate new growth factors, synthesise new collagen and Hyaluronic Acid, and break down damaged collagen fibres
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Glycolic Acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that helps to break down the “glue” which keeps dead skin cells stuck on the outermost layers of your skin.
In one simple stroke, it begins to break down these protein bonds so that dead cells will be shed, revealing fresher, younger and brighter skin underneath.
Glycolic Acid is one of the most widely used AHAs due to its small molecular structure which allows it to penetrate deeper into the skin, taking other ingredients with it to boost hydration in your skin by stimulating the natural production of Hyaluronic Acid.
As a result, skin is left brighter and clearer, with the reduced appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage and pigmentation.
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- 5% Glycolic Acid: An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that dissolves the bonds holding dead skin cells together to clear the way for fresher, plumper skin cells to come to the surface
- Glycerin and Silk Proteins bind to and draw moisture into the skin to minimise dehydration and maintain moisture
- Soothing Liquorice Root Extract helps regulate melanin production to assist in reducing pigmentation
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The secret to Liquid Gold’s efficacy and global cult following is all in its unique formulation at a low pH.
What does that mean?
Short version: It’s the closest thing to a professional skin treatment you can get at home.
The longer, more science-y version:
The higher the pH of an exfgoliating acid formula, the less efficacious the exfoliation will be.
Bioavailability refers to the % of an ingredient that’s actually available for the skin to absorb and utilise once applied, so with Liquid Gold sitting at around pH 2.8 – 3.0, it gives us roughly 90% bioavailability of hero ingredient Glycolic Acid.
This means 90% of the Glycolic Acid in our formula is available for the skin to utilise. At a higher pH, this would drop away; at pH 4 it’s only 40%, and at pH 5 it’s just 0.6%.