PCA Skin Review
About PCA Skin
PCA Skin is an internationally-renowned company dedicated to providing intense, clinically-proven treatments for regular skin care. Their serums and, toners, peels, lip boosters, and many other products are industry mainstays and have been featured in publications like O, The Oprah Magazine.
This PCA skin review will do a deep dive into the company’s practices and origins, how effective their products really are, when you want to use them, where they are available, and, of course, how much they cost.
Overview of PCA Skin
PCA Skin was founded in 1990 by an aesthetician and a dermatologist. Its mission comes in three parts: product innovation, excellence in education, and unparalleled customer support. Their claim to fame is their innovation of Jessner’s peel—today, over 1 million PCA Skin peels are performed every year across the globe.
Recently acquired by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, PCA Skin focuses heavily on research and development, as well as quality assurances—which customers can see exhibited in their listing of both authorized and unauthorized retailers of PCA Skin products.
PCA Skin also has an an-house PhD chemist who is constantly engineering and designing new formulas for clinical-level skin care. Meanwhile, their customer support team is made up of licensed aestheticians prepared to help customers and health care professionals make informed decisions about PC Skin products.
Pros
- Good return policy that accepts used items
- Owned and backed by the Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Thirty years of industry experience
- Innovative with a focus on researching new products
- A wide range of products suitable for all skin types
- No prescription required
Cons
- Expensive
- Is not vegan or gluten-free
- Not all-natural
PCA Skin Care Review
This PCA skin care review is about to dive into PCA Skin’s best-selling products, examine the ingredients in them that makes them work, customer experiences, and the subtle differences between treatment plans.
Products range from antioxidants to exfoliants, masks, retinols, serums, and a whole lot more—nine of which will be covered here.
PCA Daily Cleansing Oil Review
Daily Cleansing Oil is a classic PCA Skin product for customers of any skin type. Through a unique lightweight formula, this cleanser gently dissolves full-face makeup, oil, and any other impurities. As a pre-cleansing oil, it is compatible even with oil skin and leaves all skin types feeling hydrated and soft.
PCA Skin recommends using Daily Cleansing Oil in the morning and at night. Ninety-six percent of customers who responded said they would recommend it to a friend. You can buy it right now for $39.
PCA Pigment Gel Review
The Pigment Gel HQ Free has all the ingredients for fixing uneven skin tones. As a spot treatment serum, it uses a hydroquinone-free formula for a gentle experience that is highly effective on all skin types.
PCA Skin recommends using Pigment Gel HQ Free as the second step of your morning and night routine, after cleansing and before hydrating.
Once the cleansing is complete, spot-treat your skin with the gel in a thin layer and give it time to penetrate. Broad spectrum SPF is the recommended follow up in the daytime, while a moisturizer is more suitable for the evening.
Pigment Gel HQ Free costs $64 and should be used for spot treatment, not for the whole face.
PCA Pore Minimizer Skin Mattifying Gel Review
This PCA skin care review was surprised to find the Pore Minimizer Skin Mattifying Gel a low-rated product. But before addressing that issue, let’s go over the basics.
To work as intended, use the gel twice-daily so that its bark extract, acid blend, and niacinamide have time to minimize the appearance of pores. The result is matte shine-free skin that last throughout the day.
Now, the reviews. One customer said they “broke out badly” each time they tried to use Pore Minimizer Skin Mattifying Gel. Another unhappy PCA skin care review said, “I was still oily and pores looked the same.”
Reviews on other retailers, like Amazon, echo a report on the PCA website: “I unfortunately had an allergic reaction to this particular product. Sensitive to certain ingredients.” But overall, customers gave the gel 4.5/5 stars.
Pore Minimizer Skin Mattifying Gel is available for $70.
PCA Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin Review
Retinol treatments work wonders for your skin, and the Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin is no exception. Its 0.1% retinol formula is designed for sensitive skin, to reduce redness and the effects of aging without causing irritation.
Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin works by encouraging skin cell turnover, which can cause dryness but also a fresh and glowing appearance. And at 0.1%, it’s the perfect product for customers who haven’t yet tried retinol or built a tolerance to it.
Retinol Treatment for Sensitive Skin is a nighttime routine best performed after cleansing. You can buy it for $111.
PCA Pore Refining Treatment Review
PCA’s Pore Refining Treatment offers complete exfoliation to handle clogged pores. Through an advanced formula, this powerful treatment utilizes physical, enzymatic, and cellular exfoliation. Its impact is critical to healthier-looking skin, especially for people regularly using tretinoin products.
By absorbing excess oils and impurities, PCA’s Pore Refining Treatment minimizes the appearance of pores and also purifies, sweeping away dead skin that’s built up, as well as any dirt.
You can buy this product for $62 on the PCA Skin website in the US, or choose from many authorized retailers.
PCA Acne Gel Review
Touting a new and improved formula, this Acne Gel covers all the bases when it comes to deal with icky and annoying acne. It’s fast-acting and effectively clears blemishes, while also going deeper into the skin to stop flare ups from happening in the future.
The number one most important ingredient is the 2% salicylic acid, which reduces excess oil production, unwanted discoloration, and is useful for treating any kind of breakout.
But while it has overall good reviews, one customer said, “I put dabs of this as a spot treatment for pimples and it had the inverse effect and made them worse, also reddening my skin. I was surprised it had that reaction, but even more surprised at the apathy of PCA customer service.”
This PCA skin care review recommends that customers start with a very small amount and work up from there, to prevent irritation as they build tolerance.
The PCA Acne Gel is best used once in the morning and once at night, after cleansing and before hydrating. It is available for $60.
PCA Hydrating Toner Review
The Hydrating Toner is designed to be part of your twice-daily cleansing routine. Its purpose is to simply remove excess dirt, oil, and debris from your skin—but it also provides antioxidant protection.
There are many options when it comes to smoothing and softening skin, but not nearly as many also improve moisture retention, cleanse, and instantly hydrate like PCA’s Hydrating Toner. It’s available on the PC Skin website for $40.
PCA Hydrating Mask Review
Irritated skin is all too common, especially for people who use intense skin care treatments. PCA’s Hydrating Mask is a simple solution. Its blend of botanicals and make it a powerful at-home mask that calms irritations.
Arnica Montana flower, oat milk extract, and cucumber extract soothe and calm your skin. At the same time, the Hydrating Mask deeply and thoroughly hydrates with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate. If you’re in the mood for pampering, you can buy a bottle from PCA Skin’s store for $62.
PCA Makeup Removing Wipes Review
The most essential item in your beauty kit might be—ironically—the wipes that remove makeup. Used so often and little thought over, wipes can come in all shapes and sizes, and have radically different impacts on your skin. PCA took their Makeup Removing Wipes to the next level by infusing them with vitamin E and a nourishing ingredient blend.
Use these wipes to quickly, effectively, and gently remove makeup and any kind of oil or dirt buildup. They are safe around the eyes and an easy, stress-free way to cleanse your face when you’re on the go. A pack of 25 is available on the PCA Skin store for $20.
PCA Skin Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
It’s simple—customers are crazy about PCA Skin. Not only do they leave 4.5/5 star reviews on average, but they recommend it across the board and swear by the results of PCA peel and other products on their skin. This is not surprising, as PCA Skin has a long track record of success and backing from the Colgate-Palmolive Company.
Is PCA Skin care good? Here’s a sampling of what some customers had to say, both the good and the critical:
“I have only been using this product for a few weeks now but I’m already seeing a difference in areas where I had blemishes from acne. I’m excited to see results in the next month. I will definitely continue to use this product!” (5/5 PCA skin care review from DermStore)
“This is the 2nd time I have purchased the product and it is my go to for soothing moisture. I do have to layer it on though since it is not made for dry skin. A definite repurchase and comes at a solid if not cheap price” (4/5 PCA skin care review from SkinStore)
“I have been using for a number of years and like how it makes my skin feel! Great under daily SPF moisturizer or under my night cream” (5/5 PCA skin care review from BeautifiedYou)
As you can probably tell, it’s hard to find critical reviews—with a 5/5 star average rating across multiple retail websites, PCA Skin products have made customers extremely happy.
Is PCA Skin Worth It?
The long and short of it is that PCA Skin is a major brand with great reviews and wide range of products designed for clinical-level skin treatment. While some customers noted side effects from using their products, such as causing mild irritation or not meeting their skin needs quite as expected, these are rare exceptions to very positive feedback overall.
This PCA skin care review is happy to report that the brand is certainly worth your time. It comes at a higher price than many beauty products, but it’s one that most people find well worth paying.
PCA Skin Promotions & Discounts
This PCA skin care review was unable to find any promotions or discounts on the PCA Skin website at this time. However, interested customers should check out the many retailers who sell PCA Skin products and see if they have sales running.
Where to Buy PCA Skin
PCA Skin is serious about the safety and integrity of its products. To make sure customers are confident with their purchase, they put together a list of authorized retailers of their products.
Authorized PCA Skin retailers:
- Amazon.com
- Derm store
- LookFantastic
Interested customers should also review the retailers for a long list of unauthorized internet resellers. They are not authorized nor have a relationship with PCA Skin, and as such their products cannot be trusted. And, while it’s not listed, customers should also know that PCA Skin Sephora is not currently a retail option.
FAQ
Who owns PCA Skin?
PCA Skin is owned by the Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL). They acquired PCA Skin at the same time as EltaMD in an effort to expand into personal care.
Where is PCA Skin from?
PCA Skin is an American company. They were acquired by the Colgate-Palmolive Company in December 2017.
Is PCA Skin medical grade?
PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum, among other PCA products, is medical grade skin treatment. PCA Skin is a leader in chemical peels and has more than 25 years of industry experience combating acne, hyperpigmentation, and aging.
Is PCA Skin care natural?
PCA Skin Pigment Gel and other PCA products are not natural, in the sense of being entirely plant-based, vegan, or organic. Their products are focused on using the latest technologies in chemical engineering to manufacturing world-class skin products.
Is PCA Skin vegan?
No, PCA Skin is not vegan. They do not “engage or condone” animal testing, but that doesn’t mean their products are 100% vegan.
Is PCA Skin care gluten free?
PCA Skin cannot be called gluten free, because that requires strict manufacturing control that the company does not partake in. Customers using their products should be aware that not many skin care companies are gluten free.
Is PCA Skin care paraben free?
This PCA skin care review can report that products like PCA Skin nutrient toner, and more, are indeed paraben-free. Their products are also free of synthetic dyes and synthetic fragrances.
What is PCA Skin’s Shipping Policy?
Shipments go out Monday through Friday every week, except for major holidays. All orders are processed within 2 business days of when they were placed. Customers in a hurry to get their products should know that expediated orders must be placed before 12pm AZ time in order for them to be shipped on the same day.
Here’s the best part—PCA Skin provides free ground shipping for all orders of $100 or more. Orders under $100 will require a flat shipping rate of $5.
PCA Skin does not ship to customers outside of US territories, nor to PO boxes.
What is PCA Skin’s Return Policy?
This PCA skin care review can happily report a reasonable return policy. Any product purchased directly from PCASkin.com can be returned within 30 days of purchase for a full refund, minus shipping costs. They also do not offer returns on products of which over 50% has been used, or on products that were purchased from other retailers, dealers or resellers.
Here’s what you have to do to return an item:
1. Call PCA Skin customer support at 844-722-2428, Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm Arizona time, or email customer_care@pcaskin.com
2. A PCA Skin customer support representative will give you a Return Merchandise Authorization Number
3. Package your item to be returned with all original components
Additionally, at PCA Skin’s discretion, leaking and defective products purchased within 90 days will be replaced at no charge.
How to Contact PCA Skin
Customers with questions or concerns can reach out to PCA Skin using their online form. Additionally, the PCA Skin customer support number is toll free at 844-722-2428, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm PST. That phone line will bring you to a licensed aesthetician, who will help you find the correct skin care regimen for your needs. They can also connect you with a PCA Certified Professional in your area.
If you are a licensed professional, such as a physician, PCA Skin has a separate number for answering questions. Call 877-722-7546, Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm PST.
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