Has The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% started to irritate your skin? 5 gentler swaps the experts use
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is one of the most reviewed exfoliants we track, and most of the experts like it: 21 of its 28 experts said yes, for a Guru Score of 73%. But 5 said no and 2 were mixed, and most of them gave the same reason: it can be too much for some skin. If it has started to sting, burn or leave you red, you do not have to give up on exfoliating. Our gurus name the gentler acids they use instead, and every swap below has a Guru Score of 80% or more.
- The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% has a Guru Score of 73% from 28 experts. Most love it, but several say 7% is too strong for sensitive skin, and Dr. Vanita Rattan says the same for skin of color.
- Before you switch, check how you use it. Several experts tie the burning to using it every day, or on the same night as a retinoid.
- A gentle place to start is The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA (87%). For pigmentation-prone skin, Dr. Vanita Rattan prefers The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA (83%).
- If you want to stay with glycolic acid, Krave Beauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA (85%) is a lower-strength formula that experts call gentler.
Mad About Skin · 9 reviewers, 87% said yes
Dr. Jenny Liu · 14 reviewers, 95% said yes
Dr. Vanita Rattan · 9 reviewers, 83% said yes
Gothamista · 9 reviewers, 84% said yes
Hyram · 5 reviewers, 85% said yesWhy does The Ordinary Glycolic Acid irritate some people?
Some experts put it down to how small the glycolic acid molecule is. Dr. Vanita Rattan, who treats skin of color, explains: "glycolic acid is my least favorite exfoliation out of all the acids because it can burn skin of color, lead to hot spots and hyperpigmentation just because the molecular weight is so small." She would rather see 5% or less, and says "For us, please go for lactic acid or mandelic acid."
Others point to the formula and to how people use it. No BS Beauty flags the rose flower water, which "can be kind of irritating for some people, especially if you're trying to go fragrance free." Mad About Skin, who switched to lactic acid, warns: "Use a seven percent glycolic acid every day and honestly I think over time you'll just build up sensitivity and irritation." And Dr Dray advises against the viral underarm hack: "Glycolic acid tends to be very irritating under the arms."
Should you stop using it, or just use it less?
Check your routine first. The most common cause our experts describe is using it too often, or with a retinoid. Nipun Kapur puts it simply: "People feel that it burns their skin because they use it every day. You're supposed to use it like twice a week." Dr. Daniel Sugai has seen the retinoid mix go wrong: "I've had patients who came in because they were trying to mix like The Ordinary's glycolic acid with their retinoid and they were getting just terrible irritation."
His advice for an irritated face: "If you have an irritated face, use your cicaplast balm B5 and then just stick to one to three times a week of a chemical leave-on exfoliant." If it still stings at that pace, or you have sensitive or pigmentation-prone skin, that is when the experts reach for a gentler acid. If your skin stays red, sore or burning after you stop, or you have rosacea, ask a pharmacist or doctor before you try another acid.
What can you use instead of The Ordinary Glycolic Acid?
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA, Guru Score 87% from 9 experts. Lactic acid is a gentler acid that also hydrates, and this is the low-strength version. Sincerely Miss Ash moved to lactic acid after glycolic acid irritated her skin, Mad About Skin moved to it after deciding daily glycolic acid was too much ("I was just using it too frequently"), and No BS Beauty calls it "a little bit more gentle."
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + Hyaluronic Acid, Guru Score 95% from 14 experts, the highest on this list. Dr. Jenny Liu says "even though it's 10%, it's still very gentle," and recommends lactic acid for drier and more sensitive skin. Start on the 5% and move up if your skin is happy.
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA, Guru Score 83% from 9 experts. Dr. Vanita Rattan's pick for skin of color, because, in her words: "Mandelic acid is a larger molecule than glycolic acid, it penetrates more slowly and it's far less inflammatory."
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant, Guru Score 84% from 9 experts. A gentle blend of both acids. Sincerely Miss Ash says "It doesn't feel overly exfoliated where I have that tingling sensation to my skin."
Krave Beauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA, Guru Score 85% from 5 experts. If glycolic acid works for you and the strength is the problem, this one is still a glycolic acid exfoliant, at a lower 5.25%. For anyone brand new to skincare, Hyram says "go for the Crave Beauty one" rather than The Ordinary's, and Mad About Skin says "I find this to be a lot more gentle than that Ordinary one."
Which swap suits your skin?
Sensitive or dry skin: start with lactic acid at 5% and move to 10% only if your skin is calm. Skin of color, or prone to dark marks: mandelic acid, The Ordinary's 10% or the Paula's Choice blend, is the choice Dr. Vanita Rattan makes. You like glycolic acid, just not this strength: Krave Beauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA.
Whichever you choose, the experts' advice is to start slowly and keep it off your retinoid nights. For more, see our lactic acid guide, our glycolic acid guide and the best products for sensitive skin.
The bottom line
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% is a much-loved exfoliant, with a Guru Score of 73%, but it is not for everyone. If it has started to irritate your skin, first use it less and keep it away from your retinoid. If it still stings, the experts' gentler swaps score higher: lactic acid at 87% and 95%, and mandelic acid at 83%.