Traditional exfoliators like fruit enzymes or glycolic acid leave her looking as if she had sandpapered her face.

When purchasing over-the-counter chemical products, choose those with low acid concentrations -- no higher than 10 percent glycolic acid or 2 percent salicylic acid, she said.

There are tons of different acids in products on the market—well known ones include alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid and glycolic acid.