Riversol Exfoliating Glycolic Peel for dry skin
Glycolic Acid
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Hinokitiol Beta-Thujaplicin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
High
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few products fit it even 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 high suitability for your dry skin as glycolic acid provides moderate exfoliation and resurfacing benefits, while propylene glycol offers humectant action to hydrate. Hinokitiol beta-thujaplicin and disodium lauriminodipropionate tocopheryl phosphates further support skin renewal and antioxidant protection.
- The formulation is safe for your dry skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
- This product is well-suited for your dry or flaky skin concerns, with a balanced approach to exfoliation and hydration.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this peel is highly regarded for its gentle yet effective exfoliation, particularly for sensitive skin, frequently leading to smoother texture and a brighter complexion. Most users find it non-irritating and hydrating, though a small number with very reactive skin have reported breakouts or less dramatic results compared to other products.
Highlights
Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “no redness”
- “comfortable for sensitive skin”
- “soothing”
Brightens complexion Often Mentioned
- “skin shines”
- “glowing”
- “radiance”
- “looks healthy”
Smoothes skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels smooth”
- “softens fine lines”
- “reduced texture”
- “baby soft”
Hydrating feel Sometimes Noted
- “plump and glowy”
- “not drying”
- “moisturizing”
- “softness”
Refines pores Sometimes Noted
- “pores significantly smaller”
- “unclogs pores”
- “cleaner pores”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “pricey”
- “wish I could afford”
- “investment”
Adverse reactions Rarely Noted
- “broke out”
- “red itchy irritated”
- “raw red skin”
Lack of dramatic results Rarely Noted
- “forgettable”
- “didn't work miracles”
- “Ordinary did more”
- “too gentle”
Mild sensory discomfort Rarely Noted
- “tingles a bit”
- “mild tingling”
- “stinging sensation”
Packaging malfunctions Rarely Noted
- “pump issues”
- “one side works”
- “broken pump”
- “dispensing problem”
Sources: lovi.care, riversol.com, reddit.com, londondrugs.com, vancouversun.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Riversol Exfoliating Glycolic Peel a great fit for dry skin?
Riversol Exfoliating Glycolic Peel is a great fit because glycolic acid resurfaces the skin while propylene glycol provides hydration. Shea butter and caprylic capric triglyceride help keep dry skin soft, and the formula has a very safe profile that is unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry skin?
Glycolic acid makes this exfoliant a great fit for your dry skin by gently sweeping away dead flakes, while propylene glycol brings in deep moisture to keep your skin feeling soft. Shea butter and caprylic capric triglyceride add rich hydration that helps smooth your skin and protects it from drying out.
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 Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for dry skin?
Butyrospermum parkii butter helps soften dry skin and supports the skin barrier so it stays smooth and comfortable. It may also help increase moisture and protect against irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, starting at once a week and slowly increasing frequency only if your skin handles it well. It balances exfoliation with hydration to help smooth dry skin without causing irritation.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to use this peel and retinol on different nights rather than together to help prevent irritation on dry skin. Since both ingredients renew the skin surface, alternating them allows your skin to stay smooth and calm without getting overwhelmed.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and carefully use it more often only if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results. This balanced approach helps smooth dry skin while providing hydration and avoiding irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This exfoliant treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your dry skin, as its safe formula uses nourishing shea butter and hydrating ingredients without harsh additives. You may experience mild purging from the exfoliating acid as it clears dead skin cells, but it is generally well-tolerated.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Co-encapsulation of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate in nanostructured lipid carrier gel formulations significantly enhanced moisture retention up to 68% and improved skin elasticity in human volunteers compared to a solution gel.
Scientific Reports, 2025Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Repeated 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, 2017A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Hinokitiol treatment attenuates LPS-induced proinflammatory factors, NF-kappaB activation, and cell migration in primary human keratinocytes via Sirt1 histone deacetylase activation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Beta-thujaplicin inhibits ultraviolet B-induced apoptosis in mouse keratinocytes and induces metallothionein mRNA and protein expression.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1998Treatment with beta-thujaplicin suppressed UVB-induced MMP-1 production and prevented the up-regulation of MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNA while restoring UVB-suppressed procollagen gene expression in human skin fibroblasts compared to controls.
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 2012Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Hinokitiol Beta-Thujaplicin, Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Pvm Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid
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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