The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA for oily skin
Lactic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit
Pentylene Glycol
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin due to the presence of lactic acid for keratolytic action and glycerin for humectant action, which are beneficial for managing excess sebum and hydration without exacerbating oiliness.
- Provides excellent exfoliation for smoothing texture and improving skin tone, with Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit offering additional soothing benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product as part of your PM routine once a week. Start slowly and build up frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb fully. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the exfoliant directly onto completely dry skin to get the best balance and results. Clean, dry skin helps the product work evenly.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when applying. Be sure to use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily while using exfoliating acids.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users frequently praise this serum for its ability to gently exfoliate and improve skin texture, leading to a smoother, brighter complexion. It is often described as hydrating and suitable for dry and sensitive skin types. Some users note a moderate dislike for the scent and a tacky finish, with a low frequency of complaints regarding watery consistency or irritation.
Highlights
Smoothes skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Buffs off dry spots and creates a smooth base for makeup.”
- “Works on sebaceous filaments and whiteheads beautifully.”
- “Helps to exfoliate the skin which removes any dead skin.”
- “My skin keeps baby soft... purges closed comedones.”
Brightens & adds glow Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my skin glowing, I use it every night.”
- “Unmistakably glowy... morning after exfoliation was always a compliment day.”
- “Helps improve skin texture and radiance.”
- “Skin appears more even-toned and luminous.”
Gentle & non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “Very mild and beginner friendly.”
- “Less irritating than glycolic acid.”
- “The most shocking thing was the lack of tingle.”
- “Did not go through any purging.”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't dry out my skin... keeps my skin from being too thirsty.”
- “Gives a plump look to the skin due to the hyaluronic acid.”
- “Improves hydration levels in dry and dehydrated skin.”
Sticky finish Sometimes Noted
- “Dries down to a slightly tacky finish.”
- “Feel a little tacky but that's what it's supposed to feel like.”
- “Need to apply moisturizer once this has dried down.”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Has a fennel-like fragrance to it.”
- “Smells like human pee.”
- “Has a chemical smell from the ingredients.”
- “Scent could bother some people.”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Sting on any open wounds.”
- “Caused a fair amount of stinging and redness.”
- “Completely ruined me... caused breakouts.”
Watery consistency Rarely Noted
- “Very runny and liquidy texture.”
- “Hard to apply... runs down quickly.”
- “Easy to overuse the product due to its thin texture.”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, ulta.com, sephora.co.uk, theordinary.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA a great fit for oily skin?
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA is a great fit for oily skin because it uses lactic acid to clear away dead skin and glycerin to lock in moisture without making your skin feel heavy or greasy. It also helps smooth texture and even out skin tone while calming the skin, all with a very safe formula that is unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit for oily skin because it contains lactic acid to manage excess oil and glycerin to provide hydration without feeling heavy. It also includes soothing fruit extract to help keep your skin calm and comfortable.
What does Lactic Acid do for oily skin?
Lactic acid helps manage oily skin by significantly reducing oil production and pore size while improving moisture levels. It supports a clearer and smoother look through gentle surface renewal.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Start using it once a week, and carefully increase the frequency if your skin tolerates it well.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant in your evening routine, but it is best to apply it on nights when you do not use retinol to help prevent skin irritation. Using both potent treatments at the same time may be too harsh for your oily skin.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and if your oily skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. It helps smooth texture and manage excess oil without making your skin feel greasy or irritated.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit for oily skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it helps manage excess oil and smooth texture without harsh ingredients. It has a very low risk of irritation, though you may experience mild purging as it clears out dead skin cells.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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 Tasmannia lanceolata extract reduced skin roughness, increased firmness, dermal density, and thickness of stabilized stretch marks compared to placebo in 29 women over 8 weeks, alongside increased pro-collagen I, elastin, and TGF-beta concentrations in ex vivo human skin explants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The 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, 2012Exposure of epidermal full-thickness skin equivalents to a blend of betaine, pentylene glycol, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Rhodiola rosea root extract significantly increased antioxidant, skin barrier, and oxidative stress biomarkers while reducing the negative impact of hydrogen peroxide on MMP3, MMP12, FBN2, ANXA1, and HGF, whereas a blend of Narcissus tazetta bulb extract and Schisandra chinensis fruit extract significantly increased 8 growth factors, 7 signaling, 7 structural/barrier function, 7 oxidative stress biomarkers, and specific microRNAs over control levels.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
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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