The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution for skin with dark spots
Bha Salicylic Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
Panthenol
Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 excellent exfoliation for your normal skin, as glycolic acid and salicylic acid work effectively to decongest pores and promote skin renewal for pigmentation concerns.
- Panthenol and aloe barbadensis leaf water provide soothing hydration, complementing the exfoliating action for overall skin comfort.
- The formula is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to start, moving up to twice a week if your skin likes it. Always apply SPF during the day while using this product.
- Apply this exfoliant step right after your cleanser and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it dry. Avoid rubbing your face hard.
- Apply the product on clean, completely dry skin to make sure it works best for your pigmentation goals.
- Remember to avoid the delicate eye area and do a quick patch test before using it for the first time.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily, acne-prone, and textured skin frequently praise this product for delivering "baby soft" smoothness and a visible glow after just one use. Reviews consistently warn that the potent formula causes stinging and is unsuitable for sensitive skin, with some users reporting irritation or chemical burns if left on too long.
Highlights
Smooths skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels baby butt smooth”
- “face is soft and smooth”
- “resets my pores”
- “slough off dry patches”
Affordable price Often Mentioned
- “great value for price”
- “can't beat the price”
- “very affordable & effective”
- “inexpensive skincare brand”
Fades acne marks Often Mentioned
- “scars lightened up quite a bit”
- “acne subsided quite a bit”
- “helps with blemishes”
- “hyperpigmentation reduced”
Not for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “irritated AF the next day”
- “do not use on sensitive skin”
- “too strong for newbies”
- “compromised barrier should avoid”
Stings or burns Often Mentioned
- “stings a little but worth it”
- “uncomfortable tingliness”
- “face felt like it was burning”
- “mild stinging sensation”
Instant glow/radiance Sometimes Noted
- “tight, bright and shiny”
- “nice glow customary of AHA”
- “skin looked brighter immediately”
- “wake up with glowy skin”
Messy application Sometimes Noted
- “looks like blood mask”
- “stains white bath mat”
- “super messy application”
- “red color looks dramatic”
Causes purging/breakouts Rarely Noted
- “pimples popped up quickly”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “broke me out”
- “purging phase was rough”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, byrdie.com, spacenk.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This peeling solution is a great fit because glycolic acid and salicylic acid decongest pores and renew skin to help fade dark spots. Panthenol and aloe water also provide soothing hydration to keep your skin comfortable.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid and salicylic acid make this exfoliant a great fit for skin with dark spots because they promote skin renewal and help fade pigmentation concerns. Aloe barbadensis leaf water and panthenol also support comfort by providing soothing hydration.
What does Bha do for skin with dark spots?
Salicylic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone while keeping oily skin clear. It works by gently clearing out pores and lifting away dull surface layers to reveal fresh skin.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1999Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
What does Aloe Vera Leaf Water do for skin with dark spots?
Aloe vera leaf water helps fade dark spots by encouraging melanin breakdown and reducing color production in the skin. It is unlikely to irritate when used regularly as part of a brightening routine.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This exfoliant goes in your evening routine once a week as a treatment step after cleansing, followed by a moisturizer. Lovi routines start exfoliating acids once a week, and you may carefully use it more often if you tolerate it well and see good results.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this strong exfoliant and retinol in the same routine, as combining them may cause excessive irritation and dryness on your skin. Instead, alternate the nights you use them or use retinol in the evening and save this treatment for your weekly routine.
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 approach helps clear dark spots while keeping your skin comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This exfoliant is unlikely to cause purging or breakouts, as glycolic acid and salicylic acid work effectively to decongest pores and promote skin renewal for pigmentation concerns. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from it, and soothing ingredients like panthenol and aloe help keep the skin calm.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Cryotherapy 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, 2024A 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, 2010Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 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, 2019
Ingredients
Glycolic Acid, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Propanediol, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.