Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads for sensitive skin
Glycolic Acid
Retinol
Kojic Acid
ArbutinAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 suitable for normal skin, as glycolic acid and retinol work to smooth texture and regulate desquamation, while arbutin and kojic acid provide general brightening benefits.
- While the formula is generally supportive for skin health, it does not specifically target your concerns of redness and irritation, as the presence of lemon peel oil and citrus oils may not be ideal for sensitive skin.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing Witch Hazel Water.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with redness and irritation. Start slowly and only increase frequency if your skin feels happy and comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner , but always before your moisturizer . This ensures the product absorbs properly into the skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing . Let it absorb for a minute before moving on.
- Since your skin is sensitive , apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for the best tolerance. This helps prevent any extra stinging or discomfort.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
Questions and answers
How well does Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads work for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment offers moderate smoothing for sensitive skin, but it does not target redness and irritation, and the citrus oils may cause a reaction. An exfoliant of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, and skin-repairing components to calm redness while being completely free of allergens.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for sensitive skin?
Witch hazel water helps make this exfoliant safe for sensitive skin by soothing it, while glycolic acid and retinol smooth texture. However, because this product only has an average fit for sensitive skin, an exfoliant of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients, antioxidants, niacinamide, and snail secretion filtrate, along with no risk of irritation, to truly suit this skin.
What does Glycolic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid can be too harsh for sensitive skin, leaving it dry and irritated, so this type of skin needs a gentler exfoliating ingredient and calming plant extracts to keep the skin barrier safe and comfortable.
What does Retinol do for sensitive skin?
Retinol is generally too harsh for sensitive skin and may cause stinging, scaling, and irritation. A product for this skin needs gentle ingredients that smooth and calm without causing redness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Toxicology Letters, 2003
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in the evening routine, starting at once a week because sensitive skin needs a gradual approach to avoid redness and irritation. A product of this type for sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients and gentle acids to smooth texture safely without causing stinging.
Can I use this exfoliant with vitamin C, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this exfoliant and vitamin C at the same time, as combining strong acids and retinoids with vitamin C may cause dryness and irritation for sensitive skin. To use both safely, apply your vitamin C in the morning and reserve this treatment for your evening routine.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin handles it well without irritation, you may carefully use it more often. Sensitive skin needs products with gentle smoothing ingredients and calming agents that avoid citrus oils and redness triggers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin because it contains ingredients that smooth texture and regulate shedding, though citrus oils in the formula may not be ideal for this skin type. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and a lack of irritating citrus oils to properly care for sensitive skin without causing redness.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2017Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001Repeated 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 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, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017A 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 sensitive skin better
- Citrus oils in this product
Patch testing 4731 consecutive patients in 13 U.K. dermatology departments revealed positive reactions to hydroperoxides of limonene in 5.0% and linalool in 5.9% of patients compared to 0.2% for stabilized terpenes alone.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2014
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.
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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