These Glycolic Acid Serums Are Shortcuts to Smooth Skin

If your skin is feeling dull, rough, or congested, a glycolic acid serum might be exactly what you need. This powerhouse exfoliant helps slough away dead skin cells, unclog pores, and reveal a fresher, more radiant complexion.

Whether you’re looking to fade dark spots, reduce acne, refine texture, or boost your glow, glycolic acid serums deliver on all fronts. And below are the best ones to get started! But first, here’s how they work and how to choose one for your unique skin.

What Do Glycolic Acid Serums Do For Your Skin?

Glycolic acid is one of the best-performing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) among chemical exfoliants (¹). It exfoliates the skin by dissolving the glue that keeps dead skin cells together, revealing healthier skin.

So glycolic acid serums give you a smoother, brighter, and healthier complexion with an even skin tone by exfoliating your skin. They’re anti-aging as they also stimulate collagen production and accelerate skin turnover (²).

And because serums are more penetrating than creams, they work faster and more effectively. The high concentration of glycolic acid in a serum form can travel deeper into the skin where creams simply can’t.

How to Choose a Glycolic Acid Serum

Below are the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a glycolic acid serum.

Concentration

Glycolic acid serums come in different strengths and can be anywhere between 5% and 10%. If you’re a beginner, start with a low-concentration glycolic acid serum to help your skin adjust to the ingredient.

Other Ingredients

Glycolic acid can be irritating for people with sensitive, dry skin. So it’s always best to look for skin-restoring ingredients in your serum. Look for hydrating ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid and soothing ingredients like oatmeal and green tea to avoid irritation.

Other Acids

There are pure glycolic acid serums as well as multi-acid serums, which contain additional AHAs such as lactic, or beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) such as salicylic acid. This doesn’t reduce the effects of the acids but helps better target your main skin concerns.

For example, if you’re dealing with acne, blackheads, and pores, look for salicylic acid in your glycolic acid serum as salicylic acid works better for those issues.

Similarly, if you have dry, sensitive skin, you can benefit from lactic acid serums topped with glycolic acid. Because lactic acid is more gentle and has hydrating benefits.

Best Glycolic Acid Serums

1. Ole Henriksen Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment

This one is an amazing AHA serum that’s enriched with natural exfoliants as well. Besides glycolic acid, the serum has lactic acid, which is also a humectant that hydrates the skin, mind you. It also has several extracts like sugar cane, which is a natural source of glycolic acid, and licorice extract, which helps brighten the skin.

Additionally, the night serum also contains gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid (PHA), with a concentration of 10%. It helps gently exfoliate and hydrate the skin as well. The glycolic acid night serum is perfect for your evening routine to wake up to transformed skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, gluconolactone
Concentration: 10% AHAs, 10% PHAs
Skin Type: Normal, combination, dry, oily
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Scented, vegan, cruelty-free

2. Lancer Skincare Younger Pure Youth Serum With MIMIXYL

This is the best anti-aging glycolic acid serum that can give you spa-level results. In addition to exfoliating with glycolic acid, it packs bakuchiol as a natural alternative to retinol, and Granactive retinoid as a gentle alternative to retinol. The formula helps accelerate skin turnover to stimulate collagen production, making it ideal for tackling all signs of aging.

It also has purple orchid extract to plump up the skin and soften the look of lines, peptides for minimizing wrinkles, and vitamin C to reduce hyperpigmentation too!

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, bakuchiol, Granactive retinoid
Concentration: 7% glycolic acid
Skin Type: All but sensitive
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Cruelty-free

3. La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum Dark Spot Corrector

This one is perfect for those of you who are suffering from hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Besides glycolic acid, this serum contains lipohydroxy acid, which is a derivative of salicylic acid. It’s a gentle exfoliant with some amazing skin-clearing abilities. It’s super beneficial in brightening up the skin.

Additionally, the serum has kojic acid and tranexamic acid. They’re both known to treat sun-damaged skin, reduce hyperpigmentation, and fade dark spots. Combining exfoliating glycolic acid with these brightening ones makes this serum perfect for targeting hyperpigmentation and discoloration issues. Plus, the formula is oil-free and fragrance-free.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, kojic acid
Concentration: 10% glycolic acid
Skin Type: All including sensitive
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Fragrance-free, oil-free

4. Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum

This one’s a favorite for all, and for good reason! With a combination of different AHAs and salicylic acid, it tackles several skin issues for several skin types. The combination eliminates flakiness, dullness, and roughness on the skin. With the help of salicylic acid, it keeps the oil in check and balances your complexion.

It keeps the pores free of dirt that causes congestion and blackheads, which minimizes the appearance of pores as well. The glycolic acid serum is also infused with several nourishing antioxidants derived from green tea and grape juice to prevent and treat free radical damage. It’s clean, fragrance-free, and an overall amazing glycolic acid peel for all skin types, especially for oily, blemish-prone, congested skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid
Concentration: 10% AHA, 1% salicylic acid
Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily, acne-prone
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Fragrance-free, silicone-free, vegan, cruelty-free

5. Pixi Overnight Glow Serum

This is another potent glycolic acid serum that means business. It has 10% glycolic acid as well as antioxidants. It packs vitamins C, A, and E to guard the skin against free radicals and minimize lines, wrinkles, and discolorations.

While glycolic acid exfoliates the skin and resurfaces a healthier layer, vitamin C makes sure that the new layer glows like never before. The overnight serum also has aloe and cucumber to calm and soothe skin. The gel serum works for all skin types but the soothing aspect is great for people with dry, dehydrated skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E
Concentration: 10% glycolic acid
Skin Type: All but very sensitive
Size: 1.01 oz/30 ml
Notes: Cruelty-free

6. Bliss Renew & Smooth Glycolic Acid Night Serum

This glycolic acid serum also packs a polyhydroxy acid; gluconolactone. Combining glycolic acid with a PHA makes sure your skin is smoother and brighter but still plump and bouncy. The lightweight night serum also has soothing aloe and a blend of fruit acids.

These are natural sources of other exfoliating acids like tartaric, citric, and malic. The rich formula gets rid of dead skin cells and revives lackluster skin while also plumping it up. Whether it’s for acne, wrinkles, or congestion, this is one of the best affordable glycolic acid serums to get healthier skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, gluconolactone, squalane
Concentration: Unknown
Skin Type: All
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Contains fragrance, vegan, cruelty-free

7. SkinCeuticals C + AHA Exfoliating Antioxidant Treatment

And for vitamin C lovers, it doesn’t get any better than this. The serum boasts a 15% vitamin C topped with glycolic acid and lactic acid. This multi-tasker is your exfoliating serum as well as your daily antioxidant serum. While AHAs work to exfoliate and retexturize the skin, vitamin C targets signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots.

This powerful antioxidant also protects the skin from further free radical damage. It’s like your skin’s shield against UV and pollution. And it’s perfect for normal, oily, and combination skin. The super-charged formula is literally the recipe for glowing skin if you have dullness, sun damage, or mature, aging skin.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic and lactic acid, vitamin C
Concentration: 10% AHA
Skin Type: Normal, combination, oily
Size: 1 oz/30 ml
Notes: Fragrance-free, paraben-free, silicone-free

8. Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Acid Essence

If you’re not familiar, facial essences are like ‘diluted’ face serums. And this glycolic acid essence that doubles as a face serum is the best one if you want glowing skin instantly! It’s incredibly hydrating, fast-absorbing, and much gentler than most glycolic acid serums as I can comfortably use it on my rosacea skin.

If you’re new to glycolic acid and want glowing, plump skin no matter your skin type, this essence is the one to reach for. Considering the price and the amount you get from it, it’s super cost-effective. Plus, it packs antioxidant-rich grape water and peony extracts to nourish the skin and visibly illuminate the complexion.

Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, grape water, peony extract
Concentration: Unknown
Skin Type: All
Size: 5 oz/150 ml
Notes: Scented, oil-free, vegan, cruelty-free

Related: Full Review of Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Glycolic Acid Essence

So these are some of the best glycolic acid serums you can use to manage signs of aging, acne, and hyperpigmentation. These exfoliating serums are great additions to any skincare routine. If you need more information on how to make better use of them, keep reading to learn more.

FAQs

Read Next: Best Glycolic Acid Pads

References:

1. Kornhauser, A., Coelho, S. G., & Hearing, V. J. (2010). Applications of hydroxy acids: classification, mechanisms, and photoactivity. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 3, 135–142. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S9042 ↩︎
2. Vidt, D. G., & Bergfeld, W. F. (1997). Cosmetic use of alpha-hydroxy acids. Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine, 64(6), 327–329. https://doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.64.6.327 ↩︎