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Glycerin and lactic acid

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Glycerin and lactic acid: work well together

Work well together

Use lactic acid first, then apply glycerin, because the acid exfoliates while the glycerin quickly restores lost moisture and comfort. Lactic acid can sometimes make skin feel dry or tight, but glycerin pulls in water to soothe and hydrate it. If your skin feels sensitive, you can use a gentler percentage of acid or wait a little longer between steps.

Effects of water activity and low molecular weight humectants on skin permeability and hydration dynamics - a double-blind, randomized and controlled studyThe efficiency of humectants as skin moisturizers in the presence of oil

Glycerin products

Lactic acid products

Questions and answers

Can you use glycerin and lactic acid together?

Yes, you can use glycerin and lactic acid together because humectants like glycerin help replenish water content and improve skin tolerance after exfoliation with acids like lactic acid. Products such as Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Booster, ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser, Olay Vitamin C + Peptide 24 Brightening Serum, Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser, Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream, and Eucerin Advanced Repair contain both ingredients.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which goes first, glycerin or lactic acid?

Glycerin and lactic acid work well together, and you can apply a glycerin serum or moisturizer after your lactic acid product. Lactic acid may temporarily disrupt the skin barrier, while glycerin helps replenish moisture and improve tolerance.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Are glycerin and lactic acid good for sensitive skin?

Yes, glycerin and lactic acid work well together for all skin types, especially dry and sensitive skin. Lactic acid gently exfoliates while glycerin replenishes hydration to maintain skin barrier tolerance.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Research on glycerin 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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