All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
We know that sugar can be bad for the complexion, so it might seem ironic that best glycolic acid products, which are formulated around an ingredient derived from the same saccharine source—sugar cane—has the power to transform dull and tired-looking skin and give it a youthful, luminous glow. That ingredient? Glycolic acid. “Glycolic acid is one of the most widely-used alpha-hydroxy acids in dermatology, well-known for its ability to exfoliate, resurface and rejuvenate the skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Anetta Reszko.
Vogue’s Favorite Glycolic Acid Products
- Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight, $96
- Best Budget: L Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Peel Pads, $30
- Best Toner: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, $13
- Best Cleanser: Jan Marini Bioglycolic Face Cleanser, $50
- Best For Dark Spots: La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum, $45
- Best Mask: Dr. Idriss Major Fade Dark Spot AHA Face Mask, $48
- Best Pads: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, $92
- Best Weekly Treatment: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, $80
- Best Fast-Acting: La Prairie Cellular 3-Minute Peel, $295
Glycolic acid boasts numerous benefits, most of which come courtesy of its ability to promote cellular turnover. The acid breaks down the bonds that secure dead cells to the skin’s surface, which not only stimulates new collagen production for firmer, younger-looking skin, but also fades discoloration, smooths rough texture, prevents pore congestion and blemishes, and boosts overall radiance. “Glycolic acid also has humectant properties, which helps the skin hold on to moisture,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kiran Mian.
In This Story:
Though the alpha-hydroxy acid is an all-star of an active, its rewards aren’t without some small risks—mainly, irritation and sensitivity if used incorrectly. The key to success is finding the best glycolic acid formula for your skin’s needs and goals, which includes figuring out the right format and concentration of acid. (Trust us, this is a lot less nerve-wracking than it sounds!) Here, with the help of board-certified derms, we break down exactly what to look for when shopping and share a selection of the best glycolic acid products for impressively glowy skin.
Best Overall: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight
- Why We Love It: This treatment from SkinCeuticals is a must-try for those who have experimented with glycolic acid before and are ready for something powerful. The fluid formula is comparable to a professional 10% glycolic acid peel due to its low pH, so you’ll want to ease your way into using it—but once your skin adjusts, redness and flaking will subside to reveal silky-smooth radiance. Just be sure to pair this product with a rich moisturizer to help stave off dryness.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, phytic acid, jojoba oil
- Size: 1.7 fl. oz.
Best Toner: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner
- Why We Love It: Thanks to the incorporation of soothing plant extracts like ginseng and Tasmanian pepperberry, this liquid exfoliant strikes the perfect balance of efficacy and tolerability, making it easy to integrate into your daily routine. Not only is it excellent at brightening a dull or uneven complexion, it’s also a fan favorite for smoothing out rough skin on the body caused by keratosis pilaris—just swipe it on with a cotton pad and watch coarse texture fade away.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, ginseng root extract, Tasmanian pepperberry extract
- Size: 8.11 fl. oz.
Best Cleanser: Jan Marini Bioglycolic Face Cleanser
- Why We Love It: This cleanser from Jan Marini is a great way to dabble with glycolic acid if you lean sensitive—you wash it off, so the active won’t stay on long enough to cause irritation—or add an extra dose of exfoliation to your existing, active-packed routine. The non-foaming formula effectively removes dirt and excess oil, but also contains hydrating sorbitol and fatty acid palmitic acid to reinforce your skin barrier, so you won’t feel stripped post-cleanse.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, sorbitol, palmitic acid
- Size: 8 fl. oz.
Best Budget: L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Peel Pads
- Why We Love It: This drugstore pick combines resurfacing glycolic acid with ascorbyl glucoside, a milder form of vitamin C, for a major brightening boost while adding in a bit of hydration with humectant glycerin. Each pad has a webbed, slightly abrasive (yet non-scratchy) texture for that satisfying “deep clean” feeling after each treatment.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, glycerin, ascorbyl glucoside
- Size: 30 pads
Best Moisturizer: Dermatologist’s Choice Ultra Anti-Aging Cream
- Why We Love It: The formulas from this brand only use non-neutralized glycolic acid, the most active form of the ingredient, meaning this cream is especially potent. In fact, you can use it as a substitute for a prescription retinoid, as it provides a comparably deep treatment (it induces peeling) without the same purge period. A little goes a long way—you just need a pea-sized amount of the buttery, shea-infused formula to cover the whole face and kick your skin cells into high gear.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, shea butter, vitamin E
- Size: 1.7 oz.
Best For Dark Spots: La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum
- Why We Love It: Even stubborn dark spots don’t stand a chance against this French drugstore pick, which uses glycolic to promote deeper penetration of two of skincare’s most powerful tyrosinase inhibitors: tranexamic and kojic acids. These ingredients help block the production of excess melanin, lightening sun spots, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and melasma for a more even complexion. Vitamin B5 (a.k.a panthenol) provides added soothing benefits.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, kojic acid
- Size: 1 fl. oz.
Best Pads: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
- Why We Love It: This cult-favorite peel can safely be used daily to encourage brighter, smoother, clearer-looking skin thanks to a careful blend of acids and soothing botanicals, including glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids as well as green tea and chamomile. Each two-step treatment is individually wrapped, making them exceptionally travel-friendly.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, lactic acid, green tea
- Size: 30 treatments
Best Weekly Treatment: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial
- Why We Love It: A 25% blend of alpha-hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, and citric acids) give this weekly mask its potency—in 20 minutes, it dramatically revitalizes skin to leave it, well, baby soft. The formula also contains pore-clearing salicylic acid at a two percent concentration, so it’s plenty powerful. Try washing it off after 10 minutes the first few times you use it if the tingling effect is too much!
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, chickpea flour
- Size: 1.69 oz.
Best For Sensitive Skin: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting Glycolic Acid 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant
- Why We Love It: Though this formula has a higher concentration of glycolic acid than most products designed for sensitive skin (8%), it counteracts irritation with calming plant extracts like green tea, aloe, and chamomile to leave skin clear as well as comfortable. The gel formula disappears into skin and leaves zero residue, making it a seamless addition to any routine.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, aloe, green tea extract, chamomile extract
- Size: 3.3 fl. oz.
Best Fast-Acting: La Prairie Cellular 3-Minute Peel
- Why We Love It: It’s rare for a peel to be both ultra-luxe and quick to use but that’s exactly how we’d describe La Prairie’s, which resurfaces skin in just three minutes a week, leaving it instantly more radiant and refined. Glycolic and lactic acid sloughs away dead cells while salicylic acid s detoxifies pores. It’s the velvety skin post-peel that keeps us coming back to this formula, but we admit that the pampering experience of painting it on with the included petite brush makes us look forward to the weekly ritual.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid
- Size: 1.4 oz.
Best Mask: Dr. Idriss Major Fade Dark Spot AHA Face Mask
- Why We Love It: This active-packed formula contains alpha-hydroxy acids glycolic and lactic at a whopping 15 and three percent respectively to remove dead skin cells, fading the appearance of dark spots as well as allowing for deeper penetration of included tyrosinase inhibitor tranexamic acid. You can use this tingly treatment up to three times a week to combat discoloration caused by breakouts, melasma, or sun damage without oversensitizing skin—just ease in by starting with weekly use if you have a more reactive complexion.
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, lactic acid
- Size: 1.7 fl. oz.
Everything You Need to Know
What percentage of glycolic acid is better?
The percentage of glycolic acid correlates to a formula’s strength and depth of penetration. But according to our experts, that’s not the only number you should consider—in addition to a product’s concentration, you need to be aware of its pH, as this will determine how effectively the acid can exfoliate the skin. “For daily at‑home use, four to six percent glycolic acid with a pH of 3.8–4.2 is great for those with very sensitive skin looking for gentle exfoliation with minimal irritation, while 8 to 10% GA is great for those with normal to combination skin who are looking for brighter skin and improved texture,” says Dr. Reszko.
Dr. Mian notes that while over-the-counter glycolic acid formulas may go up to 15 percent, dermatologists administer professional peels that vary in concentration from 30 all the way up to 70% glycolic acid. The stronger the peel, the deeper it will penetrate into the skin; these powerful formulations are used to treat acne or melasma. “These peels should be used only by a professional, and not at home,” she warns. “I mention this because higher-percentage glycolic acid peels are available now online, and they may not be safe, especially for darker-skinned individuals. Using these peels at home can lead to blistering, discoloration, and scarring.” Products you’ll find in this article or at a beauty retailer are perfectly safe and effective for all skin types, so never fear—just don’t experiment with products formulated for in-office use. Leave those to the professionals.
What to Look for in Glycolic Acid Products
Beyond the concentration and pH of a glycolic acid product, consider its format as well as the other ingredients in the formula. If you have sensitive skin, you can gauge your skin’s tolerance of this alpha-hydroxy acid by using a glycolic cleanser. “Cleansers have very brief contact and are great for those with extremely reactive skin but provide only mild benefits,” says Dr. Reszko. Glycolic acid serums and toners tend to provide the best balance of potency and tolerability.
Peels and masks will deliver the fastest results, but tend to be especially potent, so be sure to do a patch test with your preferred product to see if your skin can handle it, then follow its directions closely.
As for supporting ingredients, Dr. Reszko recommends looking for humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help support skin’s hydration levels, lipids like shea butter or ceramides to bolster the skin barrier, and soothing agents to help calm any irritation. Panthenol, allantoin, niacinamide, green tea, and cica are all good choices here.
If you are worried about irritation, avoid glycolic acid formulas that include other powerful actives like retinoids, vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, or salicylic acid. That said, some of our favorite products combine alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic acid with salicylic acid or retinol—just be aware that these tend to be stronger and if you have sensitive skin, you’ll want to ease into using them.
How should you use glycolic acid in your skincare routine?
Given that there’s such a wide variety of formats and concentrations of glycolic acid to consider, it’s really up to you. But ideally, you’ll use it in the evening, as the active can increase skin’s sensitivity to sun exposure. Start with once or twice weekly use to determine if your chosen formula is right for your skin, then build up to applying glycolic acid every other night or nightly. “Always follow with moisturizer, and in the morning, apply broad‑spectrum of SPF 30,” Dr. Reszko advises. After all, glycolic acid is working to undo the effects of sun damage—so skipping sunscreen would be a poor choice. For deeper results, Dr. Reszko adds that you can complement your at‑home regimen with professional glycolic acid peels every few months.
How often should you use glycolic acid?
The frequency at which you use glycolic acid will depend on the product you’ve selected as well as your skin type, skin goals, and the rest of your routine. “For most individuals, two to three times per week with a five to 10 percent leave‑on serum is a great starting point,” says Dr. Reszko. (Stronger masks or peels should be used weekly or biweekly, while a glycolic acid cleanser can be used daily.) If you find your skin tolerates glycolic acid well, you can increase your usage.
Those who use other potent exfoliants, such as salicylic acid or retinoids like tretinoin, will want to adjust their routine accordingly. Dr. Mian recommends skin cycling. “This is a concept where you alternate days of use when it comes to your actives to prevent over exfoliation,” she explains. For example, you can use your retinoid on Sunday and Thursday nights and save glycolic acid for Wednesday and Saturday evenings. Your dermatologist can help you integrate your favorite hardworking actives—including glycolic acid—into your skincare routine for maximum impact with minimum irritation.
Meet the Experts