10 Best Glycolic Acids 2024 in the United States

Glycolic acid is used in Vitamin C serums--which are used primarily for their antioxidant properties. These serums thus help reverse the effects of aging. So you’ll find glycolic acid as an active ingredient in anti-wrinkle and anti-aging creams. And because glycolic acid has the ability to penetrate the skin, it is used in chemical peels to loosen the skin and thus exfoliate dead skin cells. Glycolic acid can thus be used as a treatment for removing acne scars or discoloration of the skin--even for treating keratosis (benign or precancerous skin lesions). You’ll also see glycolic acid in moisturizers and facial cleansers.

We've put together this guide to help you select the best glycolic acid that answers to your needs. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of glycolic acid,

• See useful tips about that type of glycolic acid,    

• Read reviews of different brands of glycolic acid, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of glycolic acid, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

We can classify glycolic acid products by their concentration, or by their acidity:

• By concentration: Beauty products for home use will have glycolic acid in a percentage of between 10 to 20%. Beauty Facial Extreme makes an anti-aging cream that is essentially a mild chemical peel. Its glycolic acid concentration is 15%. Professional treatments will employ products with higher concentrations, that reach even as high as 70%. Perfect Image makes a 50% Glycolic Acid Gel Peel, in much smaller amounts.

• By acidity (pH level): The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. A pH of 7 will mean that the substance is neutral--neither an acid or a base. The lower the number, the more acidic the substance. Some glycolic acid products that you can buy over the counter will have a pH of 2.5.

We can also classify glycolic acid products according to their purpose:

• Peels
• Creams
• Face Wash
• Facial Cleansers

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Work up from lower concentrations: Since glycolic acid products for chemical peel purposes will tend to make the skin red and irritated at first, it is not recommended to start off with a very strong compound of 50% glycolic acid. It is best to start off with a more mild product, with around 20% glycolic acid. The skin will be red at first--this can be masked with makeup. The skin will become hard over the next two days, but then it will flake off. The skin underneath will produce a more even amount of collagen, which will reduce the effect of scarring and wrinkles.

• Amount: A bottle with 1 ounce of a glycolic acid solution should be enough for 8-10 peels, performing one peel per month. (Some say that a peel with a mild glycolic acid product can be done every two weeks.)

• Patch test: It is important to test any product on a small patch of skin first, to make sure that you do not have any sensitivity to it.

• Moisturizing and Exfoliation: Moisturizing and exfoliating the skin are two things that dermatologists recommend should be performed regularly. Moisturizing should be performed by washing the face and applying a moisturizing cream. Exfoliation is best performed with a glycolic acid solution: When applied at night, an exfoliator gets rid of the outer dead layer of skin, making the skin look fresher. They also recommend using a retinoid cream, that repairs any damage to the skin.

• Helps prevent acne breakouts: People who used the Aqua Glycolic Facial Cleanser noticed that at first they started to break out with acne more often. But as they continued use, they noticed that the skin broke out considerably less. Also, pores became smaller and less noticeable.

• Removing fine lines and scars: Glycolic acid helps remove dead layers of skin, which stimulates the lower layers of skin to produce healthier, brighter and more uniform skin. It thus removes fine lines and wrinkles (called “crow’s feet”), and scars, and lessens the effect of sun damage, changes in pigmentation, and age spots.

InstaNatural--is based in Orlando, Florida as makers of natural skin, body, and hair care and beauty solutions. Among their skin care products, they make cleansers, exfoliators, face masks, toners, serums, and moisturizers.

ArtNaturals--located in Los Angeles, California, are makers of hair and skin care products, as well as bath and body creams and scrubs. They strive to make eco-friendly, natural products and extracts. They make serums, acne treatments, oils, mud masks, moisturizers, bath bombs, and more.

Retseliney-- is based in Medley, Florida. They manufacture a range of all natural and organic essential skincare and beauty products. They make exfoliants, acne treatments, firming cream for wrinkles and sagging skin, face washes, scrubs, moisturizers, and more.

Perfect Image--started in 2004 in Reno, Nevada, as makers of specialized beauty products for skin care and hair care. They make chemical peel pads, applicators, exfoliating lotions, gel peels for consumer and professional use, cleansers, and more.