SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser for dry skin
Glycolic Acid
Phytic Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Salicylic Acid
GlycerinAverage
- LowDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other cleansers 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 glycolic and salicylic acids, which can lead to excessive dryness, although glycerin provides some humectant action.
- While the cleanser offers general skincare benefits, its primary exfoliating function is not ideal for addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The product is safe for your dry skin as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Boswellia Serrata Gum.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin clean. Start using it daily right away since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow with your toner and moisturizer afterwards.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply this cleanser on slightly damp skin for a comfortable and refreshing wash. This helps maintain your skin's natural moisture while cleansing away dirt.
- Avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes to prevent any irritation. Do a simple patch test before your first use to ensure your skin likes it.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsUsers with dull, rough, or acne-prone skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to refine texture and boost radiance without stripping moisture. While the majority find it to be an effective "reset" for their complexion that removes makeup well, a significant subset of users experiences frustration with the packaging durability and occasional sensitivity.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “gentle yet powerful exfoliation”
- “did not sting or burn”
- “cleans thoroughly without over-drying”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “visible improvement in texture and clarity”
- “made my skin more supple and smooth”
- “removes dead skin cells to smooth”
Packaging issues Often Mentioned
- “top seam splits”
- “tube expanded and became unusable”
- “packaging just deteriorates so fast”
Brightens complexion Sometimes Noted
- “makes my skin clear and glowy”
- “boosts skin's natural glow”
- “helps deliver a clear and bright complexion”
Deep cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “removes all traces of makeup”
- “removes oil, dirt, and debris”
- “gets the skin incredibly clean”
Skin sensitivity Sometimes Noted
- “burn/sting your skin something fierce”
- “not for sensitive skin”
- “had to cut back usage due to sensitivity”
Lack of brightening Rarely Noted
- “haven't noticed much in the way of brightening”
- “no striking difference”
- “didn't see major changes in tone”
Sources: lovi.care, skinceuticals.com, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, bluemercury.com, realself.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SkinCeuticals Glycolic Renewal Cleanser work for dry skin?
This cleanser works for your dry skin, though other products fit it better, because its acids can lead to excessive dryness, even though glycerin and aloe help keep the skin calm. A cleanser for dry skin needs ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and rich hydrating and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep it soft and protected.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin, aloe leaf juice, and boswellia gum help soothe your dry skin, though the exfoliating acids may lead to excessive dryness. A cleanser for dry skin needs deep hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture and protect the skin.
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 Phytic Acid do for dry skin?
Phytic acid helps support the outer skin barrier to keep dry skin feeling comfortable and hydrated. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and moisture-locking components to relieve tightness and smooth dry areas.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step in your morning routine and the second step in your evening routine after a makeup remover. It is safe for your dry skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components, but a dry skin routine works better with a gentle cleanser that does not include exfoliating acids.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliating cleanser in your routine, but it may cause excessive dryness when combined with retinol. To help prevent irritation, use the cleanser and retinol on alternate days rather than at the same time. Dry skin needs cleansers that add moisture and support the skin barrier with nourishing ingredients rather than strong exfoliants.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser once a week to start, as its exfoliating ingredients can cause excessive dryness on dry skin. If your skin handles it well and feels comfortable, you may carefully use it more often. Dry skin needs gentle cleansers with rich hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing botanical extracts to keep it soft and comfortable.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, though its exfoliating acids may lead to extra dryness or flaking. To feel truly comfortable and smooth, dry skin needs gentle cleansers packed with richer moisturizing ingredients and soothing plant extracts.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the very thin skin around the eyes to prevent irritation. A product of this type needs gentle hydrating ingredients and soothing plant extracts to keep dry skin feeling soft and comfortable.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (citral).
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Topical application of 0.5% boswellic acids in a base cream improved tactile roughness, fine lines, elasticity, sebum excretion, and dermal echographic parameters compared to placebo in fifteen female volunteers with photoaged facial skin.
Planta Medica, 2010Repeated 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, 2017L-ascorbic acid 10% plus phytic acid 2% serum significantly reduced the pigmentation index of solar lentigines compared to a vehicle control in 30 healthy subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019A topical facial emulsion containing 10% glycolic acid, 2% phytic acid, and a soothing complex significantly improved skin hyperpigmentation, texture, and tone homogeneity from week 4 through week 12 in American female volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types II-VI.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Glycolic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phytic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Coconut Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Boswellia Serrata Gum, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Citral, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol
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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