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Generic

Glycolic Acid.

Generic Glycolic Acid
Serums

About this product

A chemical exfoliant serum containing glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid designed to dissolve dead skin cells and improve skin texture and clarity.

Best for

Oily skinCombination skinAcne-prone skin
Serums

The Guru Index verdict

64%

Mixed

~Mixed · 64%
4Reviewers
2Approved
1Mixed
1Skip

What the gurus are saying

Gurus split on glycolic acid's suitability. Supporters praise its gentle exfoliating power and note it's safe in over-the-counter concentrations, recommending it for normal to oily skin types. Detractors raise concerns about its small molecular weight causing irritation and chemical burns on sensitive or darker skin tones, positioning lactic and mandelic acids as better alternatives. There's consensus it works best on thick, resilient areas like feet and elbows rather than delicate zones.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews

Where to buy

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
The Budget Dermatologist
The Budget Dermatologist
718k subs · 9k devotees
✓Approved
"Instead of your physical gritty rough texture, grab something that's going to have an ingredient like glycolic acid in it. These are topical skincare acids, chemical exfoliants that can help break up dead skin cell debris, help them slough away more gently while leaving your skin barrier intact."
Dr. Vanita Rattan
Dr. Vanita Rattan
1.22M subs · 10k devotees
✕Skip
"My least favorite AHA is glycolic acid just because of the small molecular weight it can lead to hot spots on the skin. I actually did a video on this to show how you shouldn't be using this under the armpit because it can lead to chemical burns for us. For me the cost benefit analysis does not add up for my skin and color family. This was made really more for Caucasian skin, not really for us. So unless you want to put this on your feet, I'm okay for you to put on your feet, your elbows, maybe your knees, thick areas, but we just have better options. Stick with your lactic acid and your mandelic acid rather than this."
Dr. Somji Skin
Dr. Somji Skin
356k subs
✓Approved
"Topical application of glycolic acids is going to be of minimal concern, so you can use your over-the-counter glycolic acid in things like washes or leave-on concentration products, which is absolutely fine. Just don't overdo it. In face masks and face sheets with all that hyaluronic acid, the concentration is very low and minimal, so I wouldn't really worry about the use of glycolic acid during pregnancy at all."
Nipun Kapur
Nipun Kapur
399k subs · 10k devotees
~Mixed
"If your skin is normal to dry, then lactic is good for you. Normal to oily or oily combination, use glycolic. And skin dry and sensitive or oily and sensitive, then use mandelic."
All 2 takes from Nipun Kapur
Best Anti Aging Ingredients That Should Be In Your Routine | Nipun Kapur
"If your skin is normal to dry, then lactic is good for you. Normal to oily or oily combination, use glycolic. And skin dry and sensitive or oily and sensitive, then use mandelic."
Anti aging & Melasma routine for Pregnant & Nursing mothers | Pregnancy safe skincare products
"Glycolic acid is in the grey area. I recommend avoiding glycolic acid for the nine months of your pregnancy because of conflicting research. You can use it in the nursing phase but not during pregnancy."
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