Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads for dry skin
Glycolic Acid
Retinol
Kojic Acid
ArbutinAverage
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
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 exfoliation for your dry skin due to the presence of glycolic acid and retinol, which can potentially lead to dryness and irritation.
- While Witch Hazel Water provides some soothing benefits, the active ingredients may outweigh its advantages for your skin type.
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.
Questions and answers
How well does Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads work for dry skin?
This product works moderately well for your dry skin, but the glycolic acid and retinol may cause dryness and irritation. To fit dry skin better, a product needs soothing ingredients that provide deep hydration and support the skin barrier with nourishing additions like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, or peptides.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry skin?
This exfoliant is only an average fit for dry skin because its active ingredients can cause dryness and irritation, though witch hazel water provides some soothing benefits. To truly suit dry skin, an exfoliant needs soothing ingredients that deliver deep hydration and strengthen the skin barrier with components like ceramides, niacinamide, and peptides without any risk of irritation.
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 Retinol do for dry skin?
Retinol is a poor fit for dry skin because it frequently causes scaling, stinging, and dryness. To care for dry skin properly, a product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep the skin barrier calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This product goes in the evening routine as a treatment step, starting at just once a week to lower the chance of extra dryness and irritation. Because dry skin needs products that keep it comfortable and hydrated, this type of skin needs soothing and moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, or plant oils.
Can I use this exfoliant with vitamin C, and in what order?
You should use this exfoliant and vitamin C on alternate days or in separate routines, as combining them may cause excessive dryness and irritation on dry skin. To properly care for dry skin, this type of product needs gentle exfoliating ingredients paired with nourishing, deeply hydrating components that protect your skin barrier.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in your evening routine, as strong active ingredients like glycolic acid and retinol may lead to dryness on your skin. If your dry skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it a bit more often. Ultimately, dry skin needs products featuring gentle hydrators and soothing agents to prevent irritation while exfoliating.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, but the glycolic acid and retinol may lead to extra dryness or flaking. A product of this type needs gentle, hydrating ingredients and milder exfoliants to keep dry skin smooth and comfortable without irritation.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Repeated 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, 2017Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Why other products fit dry skin better
- Retinol in this product
Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Witch Hazel Water, Water, Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Ssp, Amara Oil Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil, Retinol
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.