# Glycolic acid and theanine

Page: https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Canada.

Work well together

Use them together, applying [glycolic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid) first and then [theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/theanine), because they help keep skin hydrated and balanced. Glycolic acid gently smooths the surface while the amino acid keeps your skin comfortable and hydrated. If it feels too strong, you can try a milder strength or wait longer between steps.

- [All about glycolic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid)
- [All about theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/theanine)

### [Glycolic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid) products

- [The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/the-ordinary/glycolic-acid-7-toning-solution/for/combination-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$15.80 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B071914GGL?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/roc/retinol-correxion-deep-wrinkle-night-cream/for/dark-spots) — High fit — [CA$42.99 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FH5M1M1S?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/first-aid-beauty/kp-bump-eraser-body-scrub/for/dark-spots) — Average fit — [CA$46.00 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0GSX4BHQ2?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/first-aid-beauty/facial-radiance-pads/for/sensitive-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$33.00 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0G2Z2VYW2?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/murad/rapid-dark-spot-correcting-serum/for/acne-prone-skin) — High fit — [CA$118.00 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08KR79NBR?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Skinbetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/skinbetter-science/alpharet-overnight-cream/for/dry-sensitive-skin) — High fit
- [St. Ives Apricot Scrub](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/st-ives/apricot-scrub/for/dry-skin) — Average fit
- [COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/cosrx/aha-bha-clarifying-treatment-toner/for/oily-acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$20.40 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B094PHCTHD?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/dr-dennis-gross/alpha-beta-universal-daily-peel/for/acne-prone-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$124.00 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BM9PQGCS?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Pixi Glow Tonic](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/pixi/glow-tonic/for/oily-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$28.90 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09SN5B88W?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/good-molecules/overnight-exfoliating-treatment/for/oily-skin) — Superior fit
- [CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/cerave/skin-renewing-nightly-exfoliating-treatment/for/acne-prone-skin) — High fit — [CA$36.97 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BQTMXTML?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

### [Theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/theanine) products

- [Shiseido Treatment Softener](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/shiseido/treatment-softener/for/oily-skin) — High fit
- [Clé de Peau Beauté Hydro-Clarifying Lotion](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/p/cle-de-peau-beaute/hydro-clarifying-lotion/for/sensitive-skin) — Superior fit — [CA$228.69 at Amazon](https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07WFWRMNS?tag=lovi-care-web-product01-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

## Questions and answers

### Can you use glycolic acid and theanine together?

Yes, [glycolic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid) and [theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/theanine) work well together to strengthen the skin's hydration matrix and buffering capacity. You can use them in mild daily exfoliants or balancing toners.

### Which goes first, glycolic acid or theanine?

Glycolic acid and theanine work well together when you combine them in mild daily exfoliants or balancing toners. This pairing helps strengthen skin's hydration matrix and buffering capacity.

### Are glycolic acid and theanine good for sensitive skin?

Glycolic acid and theanine work well together and are beneficial for normal to dry, sensitive skin when combined to strengthen the skin's hydration matrix. You can use them together in mild daily exfoliants or balancing toners.

## Research on glycolic acid and theanine

- [Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30548170/) Glycolic acid · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
- [The efficacy of glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene vs adapalene monotherapy in mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: a double-blinded within-person comparative study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30858720/) Glycolic acid · Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
- [Combining Topical and Oral Botanicals for Skin Redness, Pigmentation, Sleep, and Mood: A Randomized Controlled Study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36431167/) Theanine · Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022

## Other combinations

- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-benzoyl-peroxide)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and retinol](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-retinol)
- Depends on the strength: [Glycolic acid and niacinamide](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-niacinamide)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and sodium lactate](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-sodium-lactate)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and tromethamine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-tromethamine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and betaine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-betaine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and glycerin](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-glycerin)
- Depends on the strength: [Glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-hyaluronic-acid)
- Work well together: [Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/acetyl-hexapeptide-3-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Bio-placenta peptides and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/bio-placenta-peptides-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Collagen peptide and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/collagen-peptide-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Copper peptide and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/copper-peptide-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Hexapeptide and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/hexapeptide-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Hexapeptide-9 and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/hexapeptide-9-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/palmitoyl-pentapeptide-4-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/palmitoyl-tripeptide-1-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Peptide-rich plasma and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/peptide-rich-plasma-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Triple peptide blend and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/triple-peptide-blend-and-theanine)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and acetyl hexapeptide-3](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-acetyl-hexapeptide-3)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and bio-placenta peptides](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-bio-placenta-peptides)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and carnosine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-carnosine)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and collagen peptide](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-collagen-peptide)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and copper peptide](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-copper-peptide)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and hexapeptide](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-hexapeptide)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and hexapeptide-9](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-hexapeptide-9)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-palmitoyl-pentapeptide-4)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and palmitoyl tripeptide-1](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-palmitoyl-tripeptide-1)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and peptide-rich plasma](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-peptide-rich-plasma)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and triple peptide blend](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-triple-peptide-blend)
- Keep them apart: [Adapalene and glycolic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/adapalene-and-glycolic-acid)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and granactive retinoid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-granactive-retinoid)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-hydroxypinacolone-retinoate)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and pro-retinol](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-pro-retinol)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and retinal](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-retinal)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and retinoid blend](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-retinoid-blend)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and tretinoin](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-tretinoin)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and gluconolactone](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-gluconolactone)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and lactobionic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-lactobionic-acid)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and cholesterol](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-cholesterol)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and lauric acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-lauric-acid)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and linoleic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-linoleic-acid)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and tri-ceramide complex](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-tri-ceramide-complex)
- Work well together: [AHA blend glycolic and citric acids and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/aha-blend-glycolic-and-citric-acids-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Citric acid and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/citric-acid-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and arginine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-arginine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and GABA](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-gaba)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and silk amino acids](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-silk-amino-acids)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and taurine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-taurine)
- Work well together: [Lactic acid and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/lactic-acid-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Mandelic acid and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/mandelic-acid-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and ferulic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-ferulic-acid)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and vitamin E](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-vitamin-e)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and azelaic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-azelaic-acid)
- Keep them apart: [Glycolic acid and salicylic acid](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-salicylic-acid)
- Work well together: [Hyaluronic acid and theanine](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/hyaluronic-acid-and-theanine)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and allantoin](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-allantoin)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and bisabolol](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-bisabolol)
- Work well together: [Glycolic acid and panthenol](https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-panthenol)

## About the Lovi Fit

Lovi: Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes.

Lovi checks every pairing with brand-independent rules its 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. Levels from best to worst: Superior, High, Average, Low, Caution, Warning.

Behind this pairing advice: Nadia Kapleva, MS (Co-founder, Medical Director); Alexey Shagraev, PhD (Co-founder, CEO and CTO); Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc (Medical Board); Aishani Shah, MD (Medical Board); Asya Zubkova, MS (Medical Board); Hanna Kurets, MD (Medical Board, Medical Advisor); Elina Nazarenko, MD (Medical Board); Victoria Derkova, MS (Medical Board).

Page built Nov 8, 2026.

More from Lovi: https://lovi.care/skincare/llms.txt

## This page in other countries

- United States: https://lovi.care/skincare/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- United Kingdom: https://lovi.care/skincare/uk/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Ireland: https://lovi.care/skincare/ie/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Germany: https://lovi.care/skincare/de/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- France: https://lovi.care/skincare/fr/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Italy: https://lovi.care/skincare/it/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Netherlands: https://lovi.care/skincare/nl/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Spain: https://lovi.care/skincare/es/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Canada: https://lovi.care/skincare/ca/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine (this page)
- Australia: https://lovi.care/skincare/au/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Singapore: https://lovi.care/skincare/sg/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- Saudi Arabia: https://lovi.care/skincare/sa/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine
- United Arab Emirates: https://lovi.care/skincare/ae/ingredients/glycolic-acid-and-theanine