Exfoliating is an important step for keeping skin bright and soft as well as for ensuring pores stay clear of acne-causing dirt and bacteria. It may seem counterintuitive, but a chemical exfoliator can be gentler on your skin than a rough scrub (remember the St. Ives Apricot scrub?) I tend to avoid harsh scrubs for that reason, so a chemical exfoliator like Bubble’s Deep Dive AHA + PHA Exfoliating Mask was right up my alley. I followed the instructions and dispensed a few pumps onto clean skin. It didn’t have much of a scent (Bubble products are fragrance-free) and had a lightweight, gel-cream consistency. Pretty soon after applying a thin layer to my skin, I definitely noticed a slight tingling sensation — nothing too crazy, but something sensitive folks will definitely want to keep in mind. With a formula packed with ingredients like azelaic acid, willow bark extract, and fruit enzymes (plus alpha and poly hydroxy acids), it’s clear that it was getting to work fast. Instructions say to leave it on for up to 15 minutes, but I ended up rinsing the stuff off after ten the first time I used it. (FYI, only use it once a week to avoid messing up your skin barrier.)