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Lactic acid

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Lactic acid

Gentle formulations of lactic acid gently restore hydration, smooth texture, and firmness while visibly softening dry skin, easing flakiness, and supporting the natural moisture barrier. This approachable ingredient suits both dry and oily skin types particularly well when chosen as toners, exfoliators, creams, or serums at gentle two percent and five percent strengths. Incorporating it into a daily routine is straightforward, as it pairs harmoniously with panthenol, ferulic acid, and glycerin while remaining most effective when kept separate from adapalene, benzoyl peroxide, and retinol.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

This page shows lactic acid products with a Lovi page. For every product, and a routine built for your skin, use the Lovi app.

Lactic acid toners

What reviewers say about popular lactic acid products

The highlight reviewers mention most for each popular lactic acid product on Lovi.

Lactic acid exfoliators

Lactic acid creams

Lactic acid serums

Lactic acid cleansers

Lactic acid masks

Other lactic acid products

All lactic acid products

See all 128 lactic acid products

What to combine lactic acid with

IngredientTogetherHow to use them
Panthenol Works well Use lactic acid first, then panthenol, because panthenol soothes the skin and calms redness caused by the acid. Lactic acid and panthenol
Ferulic acid Works well Use lactic acid first, then ferulic acid, because antioxidants help protect freshly exfoliated skin. Lactic acid and ferulic acid
Glycerin Works well Use lactic acid first, then apply glycerin, because the acid exfoliates while the glycerin quickly restores lost moisture and comfort. Lactic acid and glycerin
Vitamin E Works well Use lactic acid first, then vitamin E a little later, because antioxidants help protect freshly exfoliated skin. Lactic acid and vitamin E
Linoleic acid Works well Use them in the same routine by applying lactic acid first and linoleic acid right after to restore skin moisture. Lactic acid and linoleic acid
Silk amino acids Works well Use them together by applying the lactic acid first and then the silk amino acids, because they help keep the skin balanced and comfortable. Lactic acid and silk amino acids
Arginine Works well Use them together by applying the lactic acid first and the arginine right after, to gently balance your skin. Lactic acid and arginine
Allantoin Works well Use them together by applying lactic acid first and then allantoin, because allantoin calms down the irritation caused by the acid. Lactic acid and allantoin
Taurine Works well Use lactic acid and taurine together in the same routine, applying the lactic acid first and following with taurine. Lactic acid and taurine
Gluconolactone Works well Use them together at night by applying lactic acid first and gluconolactone second, because the gluconolactone calms and hydrates skin. Lactic acid and gluconolactone
Cholesterol Works well Use them together by applying cholesterol after lactic acid, because cholesterol helps soothe and rebuild your skin barrier after exfoliation. Lactic acid and cholesterol
Lactobionic acid Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying the lactic acid first and following it with the lactobionic acid. Lactic acid and lactobionic acid
Betaine Works well Use lactic acid first, then apply betaine to restore moisture since acids can dry skin. Lactic acid and betaine
Sodium lactate Works well Use lactic acid and sodium lactate together by applying lactic acid first, then sodium lactate to keep your skin calm and balanced. Lactic acid and sodium lactate
Bisabolol Works well Use them together in the same routine by applying lactic acid first and bisabolol second, to calm your skin right away. Lactic acid and bisabolol
Lauric acid Works well Use them together by applying the lactic acid first and the barrier lipids right after to soothe and lock in moisture. Lactic acid and lauric acid
Tromethamine Works well Use lactic acid and tromethamine together in the same routine by applying tromethamine first, because it balances the acid for a gentler feel. Lactic acid and tromethamine
GABA Works well Use them together by applying lactic acid first, then GABA, to keep your skin hydrated and balanced. Lactic acid and GABA
Theanine Works well Use them together in the same routine, applying the exfoliating acid first and the amino acid right after to keep skin calm. Lactic acid and theanine
Niacinamide Depends Use them at different times of day, applying lactic acid first and niacinamide later, because strong acids can clash with niacinamide. Lactic acid and niacinamide
Hyaluronic acid Depends Use lactic acid first, wait ten to fifteen minutes, and then apply hyaluronic acid because strong acids can break down the hydrating gel. Lactic acid and hyaluronic acid
Adapalene Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are both strong and can irritate your skin when mixed. Lactic acid and adapalene
Benzoyl peroxide Keep apart Use lactic acid in the morning and benzoyl peroxide at night to prevent severe skin irritation and barrier damage. Lactic acid and benzoyl peroxide
Retinol Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because they are too strong to use together. Lactic acid and retinol
Azelaic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to avoid over-exfoliating your skin. Lactic acid and azelaic acid
Salicylic acid Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to avoid irritation. Lactic acid and salicylic acid
Tretinoin Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because combining them causes irritation. Lactic acid and tretinoin
Bio-placenta peptides Keep apart Use lactic acid and bio-placenta peptides at different times of day, applying the lactic acid in the morning and the peptides at night, because acid breaks down the peptide bonds. Lactic acid and bio-placenta peptides
Hexapeptide Keep apart Apply lactic acid and hexapeptide at different times of day because acids break down peptides and ruin their anti-aging power. Lactic acid and hexapeptide
Carnosine Keep apart Use them on alternate nights, with lactic acid first and carnosine second, because acid ruins the firming protein. Lactic acid and carnosine
Pro-retinol Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to prevent irritation and barrier damage from layering two strong exfoliants. Lactic acid and pro-retinol
Retinal Keep apart Use them on alternate nights to avoid skin irritation. Lactic acid and retinal
Acetyl hexapeptide-3 Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying lactic acid in the morning and acetyl hexapeptide-3 at night, to prevent the acid from breaking down the peptide. Lactic acid and acetyl hexapeptide-3
Retinoid blend Keep apart Use lactic acid and retinoids on alternate nights to prevent skin irritation. Lactic acid and retinoid blend
Granactive retinoid Keep apart Use lactic acid and granactive retinoid on alternate nights to prevent skin irritation. Lactic acid and granactive retinoid
Hydroxypinacolone retinoate Keep apart Use them on alternate nights because combining them can cause skin irritation. Lactic acid and hydroxypinacolone retinoate
Collagen peptide Keep apart Use lactic acid in the morning and collagen peptide at night, because the acid is too harsh for the peptide. Lactic acid and collagen peptide
Copper peptide Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying the acid first and the peptide later, because mixing them together causes a clash. Lactic acid and copper peptide
Hexapeptide-9 Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying lactic acid in the morning and hexapeptide-9 at night, because acid ruins the peptide. Lactic acid and hexapeptide-9
Peptide-rich plasma Keep apart Use lactic acid in the morning and peptide-rich plasma at night, because acid ruins the peptides. Lactic acid and peptide-rich plasma
Tri-ceramide complex Keep apart Use them at different times of day, applying lactic acid first, because mixing them together can weaken your skin barrier and reduce their effectiveness. Lactic acid and tri-ceramide complex
Triple peptide blend Keep apart Use them at different times of day by applying lactic acid first and your peptides later, because the acid ruins the peptides. Lactic acid and triple peptide blend
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 Keep apart Apply lactic acid and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 at different times of day, because the acid breaks down the peptide and stops it from working. Lactic acid and palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 Keep apart Use lactic acid in the morning and palmitoyl tripeptide-1 at night, because the acid breaks down the peptide and stops it from working. Lactic acid and palmitoyl tripeptide-1

From the ingredient rules behind the "Works well with" and "Don't mix with" notes on every product in the Lovi app.

Questions and answers

What does lactic acid do for the skin?

Lactic acid helps promote skin rejuvenation by inducing collagen synthesis in fibroblasts and helps treat dry skin by significantly reducing dryness, desquamation, and pruritus severity.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024

How do you use lactic acid?

You use lactic acid by applying it as your exfoliant while keeping it separate from strong ingredients like retinoids or peptides. Lactic acid helps remove dead skin cells and may improve skin texture and firmness over time.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

Should you use lactic acid in the morning or at night?

You can use lactic acid in the morning or at night depending on what you pair it with, as certain ingredients like peptides or benzoyl peroxide should be kept apart at different times of day.

Can you use lactic acid every day?

Yes, you can use lactic acid regularly, but certain strong partner ingredients like retinoids or peptides must be kept apart on alternate nights or used at different times of day to prevent skin irritation and barrier damage.

Does lactic acid cause purging or irritation?

Lactic acid may cause skin irritation or purging because it is a strong exfoliating ingredient that speeds up skin cell turnover. You can minimize these effects by using it carefully or pairing it with soothing ingredients.

Which skin types is lactic acid best for?

Lovi rates lactic acid as a Superior fit for dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin.

Can you use lactic acid with panthenol?

Yes, you can use lactic acid and panthenol together in the same routine by applying the lactic acid first and then the panthenol, because panthenol soothes the skin and calms redness caused by the acid.

Can you use lactic acid with adapalene?

You should keep lactic acid and adapalene apart and use them on alternate nights because they are both strong and can irritate your skin when mixed.

Research on lactic acid

Behind this ingredient guide

Lovi checks every ingredient 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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