Lactic acid is better than glycolic acid for fading red marks.

thanks for this information? I have seen on ebay some reputable sellers selling 40/50% all the way to 90% . which will be best to purchase and is there anything else i will need besides that?

Start low. ~30% or you're just going to burn yourself. Wear a high spf sunscreen every day. Rememeber to moisturise too, you're gonna need it for anything that speeds up skin turnover.

thanks for that...

as to moisturiser , my skin cant take anything that makes it oily as it causes small breakouts... do you know any decent fragrance free/ oil free one?

also do the peels make the skin more red to begin with?

This has always been good to me. http://www.boots.com/en/Simple-Kind-To-Skin-Replenishing-Rich-Moisturiser-125ml_8366/ Idk if it's available in your country though. Try your country's amazon. You'll be red for 1-2 days after peeling, thats my experience anyway.

I agree about starting with a low strength chemical peel. Starting with 30 to 40% is good. Most moisturizers break me out too. I have luck with pure vaseline and aloe.

Ive got a big day coming up in a week. Would it be best to do the peels after that? especially if the peels would cause irritation or more redness.

Also do any of you know , what can I use to unblock a few pours. I seem to get a few pimples in the same area, if im exposed to oil or strong fragrances

Yes, definitely do it after your big day. The peel might help with your clogged pores, but if it does not you could always try BHA (salicylic acid).