Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum for dry skin
Glycolic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Raspberry Extract
Lactic Acid
Aesculus Hippocastanum ExtractAverage
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other products fit it better.
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 suitability for your dry skin as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer provide hydration, though it lacks sufficient emollients to fully address dryness.
- The presence of glycolic acid and salicylic acid offers excellent exfoliation to smooth texture and decongest skin, which is supportive for your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week, increasing slowly to twice a week if your dry skin tolerates it well. Always remember to apply SPF every morning to protect your newly smoothed skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your rich moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation on flaky areas.
- Apply the product directly to dry clean skin to ensure the best possible tolerance for your dry type. This helps address flaky patches without causing extra stress.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before your very first use. Do not mix this with other strong acids or retinoids on the same night.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 4.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this potent chemical exfoliant is widely praised for its ability to dramatically smooth skin texture and clear congestion, often described as a 'magic potion' for dullness and acne. Many users report waking up with a radiant glow, though a significant number caution that the strong formula can cause stinging or purging and that the high price point is a major barrier.
Highlights
Smoothes skin Mostly Mentioned
- “skin felt like a baby's butt after just one use”
- “resurfaces dull congested skin”
- “bumps on my face were either gone or reduced”
Expensive price tag Mostly Mentioned
- “price is painful”
- “way too expensive”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “holy grail for acne marks”
- “dissolving blackheads”
- “pores are diminished”
Improves radiance Often Mentioned
- “waking up with doll like skin”
- “restored to a healthy and radiant glow”
- “complexion from lifeless to luminous”
Effective packaging Sometimes Noted
- “twist-up mechanism allows for hygienic use”
- “pump makes it easy to dispense”
- “airless pump bottle”
Little goes long way Sometimes Noted
- “spreads easily”
- “one pump to cover my entire face”
- “bottle will last a while”
Stinging sensation Sometimes Noted
- “stung a tiny bit upon application”
- “can be a bit tingly at first”
- “slight stinging sensation initially”
Initial purging Rarely Noted
- “increase blemishes for the first few days”
- “skin broke out horribly”
- “caused little red bumps”
Sticky texture Rarely Noted
- “leaving my skin just the tiniest bit sticky”
- “feels very heavy weight”
- “leave my skin feeling sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.sg, amazon.com, ulta.com, spacenk.com, refinery29.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum work for dry skin?
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum offers moderate suitability for dry skin because it provides some hydration with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, along with smoothing exfoliation from glycolic and salicylic acids, though it lacks sufficient emollients to fully address dryness. A product of this type needs rich hydrating and skin-repairing ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, peptides, or rich emollients to properly nourish dry skin.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer help provide hydration, while glycolic acid and salicylic acid smooth texture for dry or flaky skin. Because dry skin needs more moisture and barrier support, this type of product works best when it also includes rich emollients, soothing ingredients like niacinamide or ceramides, and nourishing agents like propolis or peptides.
What does Glycolic Acid do for dry skin?
Glycolic acid helps smooth and soften dry skin by speeding up the shedding of older surface cells. Because it can also cause the skin to lose more moisture, dry skin needs extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid alongside it to keep the skin comfortable.
What does Salicylic Acid do for dry skin?
Salicylic acid is generally not a good fit for dry skin, as it is meant to clear out pores and remove dead skin rather than hydrate. Because dry skin needs soothing and moisture rather than exfoliation, a product for dry skin needs nourishing ingredients like urea to lock in moisture and keep the skin soft.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, starting at once a week. Dry skin like this needs a product that includes extra soothing oils and rich moisturizers along with the acids.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by alternating nights or applying them on different days to help avoid irritation on dry skin. Because both ingredients exfoliate or renew strongly, using them together may become too harsh, so dry skin needs extra rich creams with nourishing oils and butters to stay comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
Start using this serum just once a week in the evening, and if your skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. This type of product for dry skin needs extra rich moisturizers or nourishing oils alongside it to properly protect against dryness.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum may cause a low likelihood of initial purging for dry skin as it exfoliates and decongests the skin with glycolic acid and salicylic acid. It is otherwise safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
Is this serum 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, 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, 2017Cryotherapy 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 topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical raspberry ketone increased dermal IGF-I production through sensory neuron activation, promoting hair growth and increasing skin elasticity in mice and humans.
Growth Hormone & IGF Research, 2008A liposoluble extract of Rubus idaeus cell cultures induced genes for skin hydration, stimulated ceramide production, increased extracellular matrix synthesis in cultured fibroblasts, and showed skin-hydrating capacity in vivo.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015Application 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, 2020Topical application of a 3% horse chestnut extract gel significantly decreased wrinkle scores at the corners of the eye and lower eyelid skin compared with controls in 40 healthy female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2006Topical horse chestnut extract increases wound tensile strength and collagen organization in rats without inducing fibroblast to myofibroblast conversion in vitro, though it induces fibronectin-rich extracellular matrix formation.
Molecules, 2020
Why other products fit dry skin better
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract Grape Juice Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract Raspberry Fruit Extract, Yeast Extract, Buddleja Davidii Meristem Cell Culture, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Galactoarabinan, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, 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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