Salicylic acid and lactic acid
Keep them apart
Use them on alternate nights to avoid irritation. Combining both exfoliating acids in the same routine causes severe dryness, redness, and peeling. The shopper can switch to a gentler strength or add more time between applications.
Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the SkinComparative effectiveness of alpha-hydroxy acids on skin properties
Salicylic acid products
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Paula's Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
CA$52.00
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CeraVe
Renewing SA Cleanser
CA$20.96
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Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
CA$29.50
-
The Ordinary
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
CA$8.69
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Mario Badescu
Drying Lotion
CA$34.95
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La Roche-Posay
Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser
CA$31.95
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The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
CA$13.00
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Paula's Choice
10% Azelaic Acid Booster
CA$58.00
- COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
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Hero Cosmetics
Mighty Patch
CA$31.78
-
CeraVe
SA Cream
CA$30.99
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Cetaphil
Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser
CA$22.47
Lactic acid products
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First Aid Beauty
KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
CA$46.00
- EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
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First Aid Beauty
Facial Radiance Pads
CA$33.00
-
The Ordinary
Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
CA$14.90
-
The Ordinary
Retinal 0.2% Emulsion
CA$22.70
-
The Ordinary
Lactic Acid 5% + HA
CA$10.70
-
Sunday Riley
Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment
CA$115.00
-
CeraVe
Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment
CA$36.97
-
Elemis
Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads
CA$95.57
- Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion
-
BYOMA
Brightening Toner
CA$22.00
- KORRES Foaming Cream Cleanser
Questions and answers
Can you use salicylic acid and lactic acid together?
No, you should keep salicylic acid and lactic acid apart to avoid over-exfoliation and barrier disruption. You can alternate their use or use products like Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster or ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser separately.
Which goes first, salicylic acid or lactic acid?
Salicylic acid and lactic acid should be kept apart in your routine because combining them may lead to barrier disruption and over-exfoliation. To use both, alternate your application or use them at different times.
Are salicylic acid and lactic acid good for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid and lactic acid should be kept apart and avoided for sensitive skin because combining them may lead to barrier disruption, over-exfoliation, and inflammation.
Research on salicylic acid and lactic acid
Behind this pairing advice
Lovi checks every pairing 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. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, 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
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