Youth To The People Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner for dry skin

Saccharomyces Xylinum Black Tea
Lactic Acid
Glycolic Acid
Black Tea
Bark Tree
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other toners fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry skin due to lactic acid and glycolic acid, which smooth texture but do not directly address flakiness.
- Glycerin provides some hydration, but the formula lacks sufficient emollient ingredients to fully combat dryness.
- The product is safe for your dry skin as it contains no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner as part of your PM routine once a week to start. If your skin is happy, you can slowly use it more often.
- Apply this exfoliating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. This keeps your skin care steps in the right order.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it soak in for a minute before the next step.
- Put the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin to help it work best. Avoid rubbing so your face stays calm and happy.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users frequently describe this toner as a potent overnight treatment that rapidly smooths texture and minimizes pores, though its sticky finish is a common complaint. It is particularly praised by those with oily or acne-prone skin for clearing breakouts and creating a glass skin glow, while sensitive skin users often report initial stinging.
Highlights
Improves texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin felt very smooth”
- “softens lines”
- “texture appears way more even”
Sticky finish Mostly Mentioned
- “super sticky”
- “left my face sticky”
- “like sugar water on my face”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “clears up scarring”
- “heals active breakouts”
- “acne is cleared overnight”
Creates glow Sometimes Noted
- “glowing and clear skin”
- “glass skin”
- “skin looks plump and firm”
Minimizes pores Sometimes Noted
- “minimize the appearance of pores”
- “pores look smaller”
- “tightens pores”
Stinging sensation Sometimes Noted
- “skin stung quite a bit”
- “strong on the skin”
- “tingles for a few minutes”
Unpleasant taste Sometimes Noted
- “weird taste”
- “gets in my mouth”
- “horrible taste left in my mouth”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “slight smell from kombucha”
- “smell is not that nice”
- “fermented scent”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, gopicky.com, reddit.com, sephora.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Youth To The People Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner work for dry skin?
Youth To The People Kombucha + 11% AHA Exfoliation Power Toner works moderately well for dry skin, as its lactic and glycolic acids smooth texture but do not directly target flakiness. Glycerin provides some moisture, but this skin type needs richer, softening ingredients and deep hydrators like sodium hyaluronate and ceramides to fully combat dryness.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry skin?
The lactic acid and glycolic acid smooth texture, while glycerin helps provide some hydration for your dry skin. However, a product of this type needs richer moisturizing and soothing ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, ceramides, and aloe to fully combat dryness and nourish the skin.
What does Saccharomyces Xylinum do for dry skin?
Saccharomyces Xylinum helps provide long-lasting skin hydration and improves moisture retention for dry skin. This ingredient supports skin barrier recovery, but dry skin also needs soothing humectants and nourishing oils to stay soft and smooth.
What does Lactic Acid do for dry skin?
Lactic acid helps relieve dry skin by drawing in moisture and strengthening the skin's barrier so it stays soft and smooth. This ingredient gently sheds dead cells and supports natural moisturizing factors, making it very useful for improving rough or flaky areas.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2025Skin Research and Technology, 2013
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This exfoliating toner fits into an evening routine, starting at once a week and slowly increasing only if your skin handles it well. To work best for dry skin, this type of product needs extra hydrating and soothing ingredients to fully combat dryness.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to use this exfoliating toner and retinol on different nights or in separate routines to lower the chance of skin irritation. When applying them, put on your toner first, let it absorb, and follow up with your retinol and a rich moisturizer to keep your dry skin soft and comfortable.
How often should I use this toner?
Start using this exfoliating toner once a week in the evening, and if your dry skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. This product type needs nourishing oils and rich moisturizers to fully combat dryness.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, though the exfoliating acids may cause mild purging as they clear dead cells. It is safe for your skin and does not contain harsh ingredients that cause irritation, but a product for dry skin also needs rich oils or heavy moisturizers to fully combat flakiness and lock in hydration.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Betula alba bark extract and Empetrum nigrum fruit juice upregulated barrier genes, strengthened the skin barrier, and showed significantly better skin restructuring, hydration, and TEWL compared to placebo and 3% niacinamide.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022Kombucha Yerba Mate ferments after 14 and 21 days of fermentation showed about a 40% inhibition of lipoxygenase, collagenase, and elastase enzymes, long-lasting skin hydration, and increased cell viability on keratinocyte and fibroblast cell lines compared to unfermented extracts.
Scientific Reports, 2021Fermentation of grape stems extract using a Scoby consortium for 10 and 20 days increases phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and when added to model cosmetic creams, improves skin hydration and reduces transepidermal water loss.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2023Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Topical and in vitro application of a Camellia sinensis leaf extract demonstrated immunomodulatory, detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties while improving mood states, skin hydration, barrier function, rejuvenation, and facial skin health.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of standardized black tea extract prior to or after UVB exposure reduced erythema, skinfold thickness, inflammation, and the accumulation of c-fos and p53 proteins in murine and human skin.
Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1999Topical birch bark extract significantly increased the proportion of patients with first complete target wound closure within 45 days compared to control gel in patients with dystrophic and junctional epidermolysis bullosa.
Drugs, 2023Topical treatment with a cream containing 6.0% Stryphnodendron adstringens bark extract suppressed terminal hair growth and reduced the Ferriman-Gallwey score from 4 to 2 compared to 4 to 3 in the placebo group in women with excess terminal hair.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2009Oleogel-S10 demonstrated a favorable long-term safety profile and sustained reductions in body surface area percentage of wounds and disease activity over 24 months in patients with dystrophic and junctional epidermolysis bullosa.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2025
Why other toners fit dry skin better
Topical application of a 6% green tea extract formulation increased skin moisture, enhanced skin elasticity, and improved skin microrelief by reducing roughness in 24 volunteers compared to vehicle and control over 30 days.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2013Gluconolactone treatment significantly increased facial skin hydration in 16 healthy women, with no significant differences between 10% and 30% solutions.
Skin Research and Technology, 2021
Ingredients
Water, L-Arginine, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Zingiber Officinale Water, Lemon Fruit Water, Saccharomyces Xylinum Black Tea Ferment, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Pichia Lysate Ferment Filtrate, Caramel
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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