10 Best Glycolic Acid Lotions – 2023
Get spotless, clean skin by removing excess sebum and dirt from your face.
Oyendrila Kanjilal Certified Skin Care Coach
Expertise: Skin Care & Hair Care
Experience: 2 years
Oyendrila holds a master's degree in English Literature from the University Of Calcutta, West Bengal, and is a certified skincare coach. As a beauty and lifestyle writer with two years of experience, ... more
The best glycolic acid lotion can keep your skin smooth, soft, shiny, and young. Glycolic acid lotion deeply penetrates the layers of your skin, removing excess sebum, dirt, and helping to unclog your pores. It also promotes the production of collagen, which keeps your skin firm and slows down the process of aging. If you haven’t bought one, take a look at our list of the top glycolic acid lotions you should purchase. Scroll down for more information!
In This Article
10 Best Glycolic Acid Lotions – 2023
1. Best Moisturizing Formula:Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion With 12% Glycolic Acid AHA
Alpha Skin Care Renewal Body Lotion is a moisturizing lotion for all skin types. This body lotion has a pH of 4.0 and claims to promote a healthy, radiant, and even skin tone. It is an excellent option for skin issues like wrinkles and fine lines. This anti-aging lotion contains 12% glycolic acid that relieves dry skin, leaving your skin soft and smooth. The natural ingredients like sugar cane, vitamins, and minerals in this lotion boost collagen production to moisturize and soothe your skin.
Pros
- Suitable for all skin types
- Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Natural ingredients
- Moisturizes theskin
- Cruelty-free
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
Cons
- Sticky formula
2. Best For Dry Skin:Glytone Exfoliating Body Lotion
GLYTONE Exfoliating Body Lotion is the best lotion for keratosis pilaris and dry skin. This rich moisturizing lotion is packed with 17.5% glycolic acid to exfoliate dead skin cells and treat rough bumps and dry patches. The high concentration of glycolic acid in this lotion helps rejuvenate and retexturize the skin. It improves your skin texture to reveal youthfuland radiant skin. It is great for treating skin conditions like scaly plaques, red bumps, cracked heels, rough, elbows, and bumpy skin on the knees.
Pros
- Treatskin conditions like keratosis pilaris
- Reduces dryness
- Fragrance-free
- Smoothens rough bumps and dry patches
- Non-comedogenic
- Spreads easily
- Suitable for dry skin
Cons
- Not suitable for sensitive skin
- The pump might not work properly
3. Best For Oily Skin:Glytone Rejuvenating Lotion 20
Glytone Rejuvenating Lotion is specially formulated for oily skin. It is the most powerful lotion in this range with its 20 free acid value of glycolic acid. This rejuvenating lotion increases cell turnover and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. It is a lightweight and oil-free lotion with a mattifying formula that hydrates, exfoliates, and smoothens the skin. The microcapsules in this lotion keep your skin fresh and shine-free.
Pros
- Reduce fine lines and wrinkles
- Even out the skin tone
- Treatacne
- Lightweight
- Oil-free formula
- Great for photodamaged skin
- Suitable for oily skin
Cons
None
4. Best Skin Brightening:Planet Eden Gly-Lactic Exfoliating Lotion
Image: My Planet Eden Planet Eden Gly-Lactic Exfoliating Lotion is an excellent product for mature and sensitive skin. It contains a blend of 10% glycolic acid and 10% lactic acid for the rapid exfoliation of dead skin. This lotion brightens dull skin, lightens skin damage caused by sun exposure, tightens pores, and increases collagen production for wrinkle reduction. It is infused with natural ingredients like papaya, sugar cane, and pineapple extracts for more exfoliation and hyaluronic acid for superior moisturization.
Pros
- Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
- Reduces dark spots and dullness
- Intensely moisturizing
- Treats damaged skin
- Silicone-free
- Cruelty-free
- Natural vanilla fragrance
- Natural ingredients
Cons
- Waxy consistency
5. Best Lightweight Solution:Perfect Image Gly + Sal Exfoliating Body Lotion
Perfect Image Gly + Sal Exfoliating Body Lotion is an ultra-light lotion that softens sun-damaged and dry skin. This body lotion is a combination of 10% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and uneven skin texture. It also contains natural ingredients like green tea, papaya, bearberry, and licorice. It exfoliates dead skin cells, minimizes pores, and improves skin texture. It gets absorbed quickly for maximum hydration. It improves cell rejuvenation and protects your skin from free radical damage.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Reduces dark spots
- Reduces breakouts
- Treats keratosis pilaris
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- Phthalate-free
- Gluten-free
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- The pump might not work properly
- Sticky formula
6. Best Winter Lotion:Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing Body Lotion With 10% AHA
Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing Body Lotion is the best exfoliant and moisturizer for skin that is prone to keratosis pilaris (KP). The 10% glycolic acid in this lotion exfoliates dull skin, provides hydration, and unclogs pores. It has a pH range of 3.5-3.9 and contains glycerin and shea butter that provide rich moisture to dehydrated skin. This antioxidant-rich formula provides anti-aging benefits.
Pros
- Reduces fine line and wrinkles
- Treats for keratosis pilaris
- Fragrance-free
- Paraben-free
- Cruelty-free
- Suitable for all skin types
- Perfect for use in winter
Cons
None
7. Best For Skin-Refining:Glytone Daily Body Lotion With Broad Spectrum Sunscreen
Glytone Daily Body Lotion is a skin-refining and protective body lotion. This retexturizing moisturizer is specially formulated with Novasome Technology to time-release glycolic acid. It helps exfoliate and eliminate dead skin cells and dry patches. This nourishing lotion contains shea butter to hydrate your skin. It also has SPF 15 to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays. This exfoliating body lotion contains 17.5% glycolic acid that softens, rejuvenates, and re-texturizes your skin.
Pros
- Improves skin texture
- Reduces dark spots
- SPF 15
- Hydrates the skin
- Fights free radical damage
- Fragrance-free
- Spreads easily
Cons
- Greasy formula
- Not suitable for sensitive skin
8. Best Exfoliator:Touch Keratosis Pilaris Exfoliating Skin Body Lotion- With 12% Glycolic Acid And AHA & BHA
The Touch KP Exfoliating Lotion is a combination of glycolic acid and salicylic acid. It reduces rough bumps and redness from keratosis pilaris. With regular use, it can make the symptoms of keratosis pilaris unnoticeable and give your skin a smooth look. The alpha-hydroxy acid helps to break down the old and rough skin, while salicylic acid improves the skin tone by deeply penetrating and cleansing the skin. The lotion also helps with acne-causing inflammation and pores. The natural ingredients in the formula, like aloe vera, caprylic, and glycine soja oil, have antioxidants, Vitamin E, and anti-inflammatory properties that promote new cell growth.
Pros
- Effective exfoliator
- Reduces acne breakouts
- Low pH formula
- Suitable for all skin types
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Non-sticky
- Easy to apply
- Gets absorbed fast
Cons
- Contains artificial fragrance
9. Best Fast-Absorbing Formula:Glycolix 15% Body Lotion
Glycolix 15% Body Lotion is formulated with 15% glycolic acid that sloughs off dry skin. This lotion provides moisture and exfoliates dead skin cells on the body to help you achieve a softer and smoother skin tone and texture. The fast-absorbing formula of this lotion delivers vitamins and soothing aloe to condition your skin. The blend of glycolic acid and salicylic acid helps transform your skin.
Pros
- Exfoliates dead skin cells
- Moisturizesthe skin
- Unclogs pores
- Reduces fine line and wrinkles
- Gets absorbed quickly
Cons
None
10. Best Fragrance-Free Lotion:Lilah James KP Exfoliating Lotion
Lilah James KP Exfoliating Lotion is great for reducing the red bumps caused by keratosis pilaris (KP). It exfoliates and moisturizes your skin. This lotion is formulated with 14% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid to reduce redness and irritation. It has a low pHof 3.2 that allows more free acids to reduce keratin blockages.
Pros
- Reduces KP-related redness and skin bumps
- Exfoliates dead skincells
- Revitalizes skin
- Fragrance-free
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Strong fragrance
Glycolic acid is excellent for people who have clogged pores or mature skin. But just any glycolic acid product you get from the drugstore won’t be perfect for your skin. Take a look at these guidelines before purchasing the right glycolic acid lotion.
Things To Know Before Buying A Glycolic Acid Lotion
- Skin Type
The most important thing you can do is to make sure the lotion works for your skin. If you have sensitive, oily, or overly dry skin, it is important to choose a lotion that will help with your specific problem while also helping combat the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Those with oily skin need to avoid lotions with sticky formulas or you will find your skin getting greasy and breaking out after a few uses. If you have dry skin, choose glycolic acid lotions that offer proper hydration and nourishment to your skin.
- Ingredients
Go for lotions that don’t contain compounds like parabens, sulfates, and phthalates. They harm your skin in the long run. Choose ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, and niacinamide that work well with glycolic acid.
- Usage
In general, you don’t need to use a glycolic acid lotion every single day. However, if you are looking for something you can use daily, opt for those with lesser concentrations of the acid and deemed safe.
If you have skin issues like keratosis pilaris, purchase a product especially formulated to treat this issue. If you are going to apply the lotion while being outdoors all day, make sure you get a product with sun protection. Choose a lotion that contains at least SPF 15.
Those with body acne and clogged pores should go for non-comedogenic lotions. Choosing glycolic acid lotions that combat rough bumps and dry patches would be just perfect!
- Fragrance
If you have sensitive skin or body acne, stay away from products with artificial scents. This also holds true if you have aging skin and want to use a glycolic acid lotion to minimize your wrinkles. Chemicals and added scents can dehydrate the skin and accelerate the aging process.
- Price
The price of a product does not determine how well it works! It is fine to choose products in the middle price range if you think they will meet your needs better.
Lotions help you to keep your skin soft, silky, and youthful. So lotions are of great help to minimize skin damage. Unlike regular lotions, the best glycolic acid lotions hydrate and smoothen your skin, eliminate dry patches, and red bumps, and combat aging signs and age spots. In addition, some lotions protect your skin from free radical damage, while others improve the skin texture and unclog the pores. Consider lotions that are loaded with a good amount of glycolic acid. And stay away from the lotions that turn your skin greasy.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Oyendrila Kanjilal, the author of this article, is a certified skin care coach. She provides researched-backed articles to her readers and understands that glycolic acid is a great exfoliant that also slows down the process of aging. She analyzed hundreds of reviews and user feedback on various forums to provide her readers with the best glycolic acid lotions. These lotions promote collagen production, keep your skin firm, and minimize the appearance of wrinkles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of glycolic acid is effective?
Glycolic acid is most effective at 8-10%.
Can I use 10% glycolic acids daily?
Yes. You can use 10% glycolic acid every day or 30% glycolic acid once or twice a week.
Does glycolic acid lighten skin?
Yes, glycolic acid can lighten your skin. Glycolic acid-based exfoliants remove dead skin cells and improve the complexion of the skin.
What happens if you use too much glycolic acid?
Too much glycolic acid may cause burning, stinging, and temporary redness. Glycolic acid also dries out your skin, which can result in flaking.
What should you not mix with glycolic acid?
You should not mix vitamin C with glycolic acid as it can destabilize the pH balance and cause skin irritation.
Recommended Articles
- Best Glycolic Acid Face Washes
- Best Salicylic Acid Products
- Best Alpha Hydroxy Acid Lotions To Fight Dryness
- What Is Glycolic Acid And What Does It Do To Your Skin?
