Replenix Glycolic Acid 20% Resurfacing Cream for oily skin
Glycolic Acid
Vitamins A
Vitamins C
Vitamins EAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin due to the presence of Glycolic Acid, which provides resurfacing benefits and helps manage oiliness.
- Glycerin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice offer hydration and soothing effects, complementing the exfoliating action for your skin type.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract and lacks harsh or prohibited substances.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product as part of your PM routine once a week. Start slowly and build up frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb fully. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the exfoliant directly onto completely dry skin to get the best balance and results. Clean, dry skin helps the product work evenly.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when applying. Be sure to use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily while using exfoliating acids.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsUsers with mature, dry, and acne-prone skin report significant exfoliation and smoothing of rough textures, with many noting a reduction in hyperpigmentation and fine lines. While the product is praised for improving radiance and pore appearance, some users with sensitive skin mention experiencing stinging and redness, suggesting a need to build tolerance.
Highlights
Smoothes skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “It keeps my skin so smooth and glowy.”
- “My skin feels baby soft in the morning.”
- “I noticed smoother skin and a more even tone within just a week.”
- “The lightweight cream smooths my fine lines and uneven texture.”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “Over time seems to have reduced the appearance of age spots.”
- “My stubborn dark spots has started to fade.”
- “My skin is more even, blemishes have vanished.”
- “Reduces the appearance of discoloration, sun damage, and dullness.”
Clears acne and pores Sometimes Noted
- “Keeps dead skin and clogged pores at bay.”
- “I have mild acne scars... my skin already feels more refined.”
- “Discontinued using other expensive products I had purchased for adult acne.”
- “Minimizes the appearance of pores.”
Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
- “Smooths my fine lines and uneven texture.”
- “Skin looks and feels young.”
- “Great resource for keeping firmness and brightening the skin.”
- “You'll see rejuvenated skin with fewer fine lines.”
Stinging and burning Sometimes Noted
- “Using this cream can burn a bit more than usual.”
- “Each level has stung but not this one since my skin has built up a tolerance.”
- “Others experienced stinging or redness.”
- “I was terrified to use it at first.”
Causes skin redness Rarely Noted
- “Face staying too red.”
- “Others experienced stinging or redness.”
- “I do wake up with a bit more color to my complexion.”
- “Can be irritating to the skin.”
Lacks deep moisture Rarely Noted
- “It doesn't moisturize the skin... it has no plant oils or lipids.”
- “I follow it with a calming moisturizer.”
- “It will not moisturize... it does, however, contain humectants.”
- “Needs to be followed by a heavier cream.”
Sources: lovi.care, replenix.com, dermstore.com, dermstreet.com, ecosmetics.com, whatsinmyjar.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Replenix Glycolic Acid 20% Resurfacing Cream work for oily skin?
This cream works for your oily skin by offering moderate exfoliation with glycolic acid to help manage oiliness, while glycerin and aloe leaf juice provide soothing hydration. However, an exfoliant treatment for oily skin needs ingredients like niacinamide to control sebum, along with soothing extracts and barrier-supporting hydrators that keep the skin comfortable without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?
Glycolic acid makes this cream a fit for oily skin by providing moderate exfoliation that helps manage oiliness, while glycerin and aloe leaf juice offer soothing hydration. To fit oily skin even better, an exfoliant of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to control excess oil and pores without irritation, along with barrier-supporting ceramides.
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear away dead skin and excess oil for a smooth, clean feel. It gently removes buildup from the surface, which keeps pores clear and skin looking fresh.
Molecules, 2023Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2011
What does Vitamin A do for oily skin?
Vitamin A helps oily skin by slowing down oil buildup and calming swelling. This type of ingredient works best for oily skin when it includes soothing botanical oils to keep pores clear without feeling too heavy.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
Apply this cream in the evening as a treatment step after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin works best with an exfoliant treatment that also contains soothing ingredients and hydration boosters to keep the skin calm and balanced.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream in the evening before your moisturizer, but it is best to use retinol on alternate nights to prevent irritation on oily skin. Combining strong exfoliating acids and retinol at the same time is likely to cause dryness and redness.
How often should I use this cream?
Start using this cream once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often. This product of this type works best for oily skin when it provides moderate exfoliation with glycolic acid alongside soothing and hydrating ingredients to keep the skin calm.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, though the glycolic acid may cause some initial purging as it clears out dead skin. It helps manage oiliness and includes soothing ingredients like aloe to calm the skin, but an oily skin type may need a lighter, oil-free formula with salicylic acid for better breakout control.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A combination of dermapen and glycolic acid peel significantly decreased acne scar grades and resulted in higher patient satisfaction compared to either monotherapy in 30 patients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2017Repeated 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, 2017Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
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