SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight for skin with dark spots
Glycolic Acid
Phytic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
DimethiconeHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best products for skin with dark spots.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 excellent exfoliation for your normal skin, as glycolic acid and salicylic acid work effectively to smooth texture and regulate desquamation, addressing your pigmentation concerns.
- Phytic acid further aids in skin renewal for improved tone, while the formula is well-suited for normal skin types.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to start, moving up to twice a week if your skin likes it. Always apply SPF during the day while using this product.
- Apply this exfoliant step right after your cleanser and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it dry. Avoid rubbing your face hard.
- Apply the product on clean, completely dry skin to make sure it works best for your pigmentation goals.
- Remember to avoid the delicate eye area and do a quick patch test before using it for the first time.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this nighttime glycolic acid treatment is widely praised for delivering a radiant glow and significantly smoothing skin texture. It is also frequently noted for helping to clear acne and minimize pores. However, a significant number of recent reviews indicate a disappointing change in formula, resulting in a watery consistency that makes application difficult and can lead to waste.
Highlights
Noticeable glow Mostly Mentioned
- “woke up with a glow”
- “skin looks radiant”
- “fresh from a facial look”
- “noticeably brighter”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “baby soft skin”
- “texture is much smoother”
- “bumps are gone”
- “glass-like finish”
Watery consistency Often Mentioned
- “pours out like water”
- “formula has changed”
- “too runny to apply”
- “liquid mess”
Acne and pores Sometimes Noted
- “keeps acne away”
- “pores look smaller”
- “cleared up my congestion”
- “helped with breakouts”
Gentle exfoliation Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation”
- “gentle but effective”
- “didn't dry me out”
- “great for sensitive skin”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for the amount”
- “not worth the price tag”
- “pricey for a runny product”
Dispensing issues Rarely Noted
- “leaks out of tube”
- “messy cap”
- “wasted product when opening”
Initial irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung upon application”
- “caused purging”
- “slight burning sensation”
- “redness at first”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, cocooncenter.co.uk, bluemercury.com, skinceuticals.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight a great fit for skin with dark spots?
SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight is a great fit because glycolic acid and salicylic acid work effectively to smooth texture and fade dark spots by helping skin renewal. Phytic acid further aids in improving skin tone safely without irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid, phytic acid, and salicylic acid make this exfoliant a great fit for skin with dark spots because they work together to smooth texture, help skin renewal, and improve overall tone. This blend is unlikely to cause irritation and has a very safe profile for your skin.
What does Glycolic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid helps fade dark spots and improves uneven skin tone by encouraging the shedding of pigmented surface cells. When used in treatments or peels alongside other brightening ingredients, it may further reduce the severity of stubborn discoloration.
What does Phytic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Phytic acid helps fade dark spots and brightens your skin tone. It is commonly used in serums and combination treatments to improve overall skin texture and reduce the appearance of unwanted pigmentation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This exfoliant treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, starting once a week and slowly using it more often if your skin tolerates it well. Glycolic acid and salicylic acid work to smooth texture and help fade dark spots, while the formula is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
Using this exfoliant with retinol can easily cause too much irritation on your skin. It is best to use them on alternate nights or keep retinol to your morning routine to help your skin stay smooth and calm.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This helps smooth your texture and even out your dark spots without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on skin with dark spots because its active ingredients help smooth texture and renew skin safely. Initial irritation may happen at first, but the formula has a low risk of causing trouble for your skin.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
L-ascorbic acid 10% plus phytic acid 2% serum significantly reduced the pigmentation index of solar lentigines compared to a vehicle control in 30 healthy subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Repeated 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, 2017Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019A topical facial emulsion containing 10% glycolic acid, 2% phytic acid, and a soothing complex significantly improved skin hyperpigmentation, texture, and tone homogeneity from week 4 through week 12 in American female volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types II-VI.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Layer-by-layer application of azelaic acid, phytic acid, and L-ascorbic acid improved erythema, hyperpigmentation, skin moisture, elasticity, and reduced wrinkles in twenty female participants compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A 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, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Phytic Acid, Cetyl Peg Ppg-10 1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Octenylsuccinate Starch, Nylon-12, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Jojoba Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Wax Seed Cera, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Edta, Salicylic Acid, Acacia Decurrens Accia Decurrens Wax Flower Cera, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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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