L'Oreal

Glycolic Acid Serum.

Serums

About this product

A 10% glycolic acid serum designed to exfoliate skin and improve texture, formulated with aloe extracts for soothing benefits.

Full ingredients

Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycolic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Linalool, Geraniol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Eugenol, Parfum/Fragrance, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Xanthan Gum, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Oxothiazolidinecarboxylic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol

Guru Score

79%

Yay

3 experts · Moderate agreement

3Gurus

3Yay

0Mixed

0Nay

What they liked

Gentle enough for acne-prone skin
Gives skin a nice sheen
Goes a long way

What they flagged

Dropper is wasteful
Pricey for a basic glycolic serum
Can trigger cold sores

What the gurus are saying

Dermatologists found this a straightforward glycolic exfoliant that works well and lasts a long time, though at 33 dollars for glycolic acid alone, the price feels steep. Those with dry skin may want to ease off to once or twice monthly, while others can manage once weekly. One expert notes that anyone prone to cold sores should patch-test first, as the acid can trigger an outbreak, and suggests switching the dropper to a pump for easier use.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take July 2026

Type

SerumsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Vitamin C Niacinamide Hyaluronic acid Salicylic acid (BHA)AHAVitamin E

Formula notes

Contains fragranceContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

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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 Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

The Budget Dermatologist

723k subs

✓Yay

"A good drugstore Glycolic Acid Serum by L'Oreal, at 10% glycolic acid. I like that one more specifically for acne-prone skin."

Dr. Aanchal MD

3.49M subs

✓Yay

"L'Oreal Glycolic Acid Serum is a gentle exfoliant that can be used depending upon your budget and availability. Exfoliation can be done maximum once in a week if you have dry skin then you can do it once or twice in a month not more than that."

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.72M subs

✓Yay

"I use this one by L'Oreal. I always switch the dropper with a pump. If you have cold sores beware it can make your cold sores come out with a vengeance so I would approach very cautiously, but I like to exfoliate my lips with an exfoliating acid and not a physical scrub because I've always found it causes more layers of dead skin that I end up wanting to pick with my mouth and ends up being a bigger disaster."

All 2 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss

Fall Nighttime Skincare Routine: Face & Body! | Dr. Shereene Idriss

Glycolic Acid vs. Salicylic Acid: Is it for Your Skin Type & Concern? | Dr. Shereene Idriss

"L'Oreal has their Glycolic Acid Serum at 10 percent. It has a long play time. It is honestly kind of expensive for 33 bucks for just glycolic acid, but it is a beautiful basic Glycolic Acid Serum. I do like it because it goes a long way. I like the texture and it gives your skin a nice sheen. It also has aloe extracts in it which helps a little bit for soothing benefits. I hate the dropper."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is L'Oreal Glycolic Acid Serum?

A 10% glycolic acid serum designed to exfoliate skin and improve texture, formulated with aloe extracts for soothing benefits.

Is L'Oreal Glycolic Acid Serum worth it?

Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 79%.

What is L'Oreal Glycolic Acid Serum's Guru Score?

L'Oreal Glycolic Acid Serum holds a Guru Score of 79%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.