Riversol Exfoliating Glycolic Peel for acne-prone skin
Glycolic Acid
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Hinokitiol Beta-Thujaplicin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 combination skin, as glycolic acid works to smooth texture and hinokitiol beta-thujaplicin provides antimicrobial action to address acne and blemishes.
- The formulation is highly suitable for combination skin, with keratolytic action from glycolic acid and antimicrobial benefits from hinokitiol beta-thujaplicin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant PM once a week to start, and gradually increase if your combination skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your clear skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer step. This ensures the treatment targets blemishes effectively.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply the exfoliant on clean, dry skin to help control breakouts safely. Since your skin is not sensitive, this dry application method ensures good product absorption.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this exfoliant with other strong acids in the same routine.
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 acne-prone skin?
Riversol Exfoliating Glycolic Peel is a great fit for acne-prone skin because glycolic acid works to smooth texture and hinokitiol beta-thujaplicin helps provide antimicrobial action against blemishes. The formulation has an excellent safety profile with no harsh ingredients, making it very suitable for keeping skin calm and clear.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid smooths texture and hinokitiol beta-thujaplicin provides antimicrobial action to address acne and blemishes. These ingredients make this product a great fit for acne-prone skin with an excellent safety profile and no risks of irritation.
What does Glycolic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and breakouts. It also helps fade dark spots left behind by acne and controls skin oiliness, with very few side effects when used properly.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for acne-prone skin?
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter can feel quite rich on acne-prone skin and may clog pores for some people. A product of this type needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that balance oil without heavy blockage.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant goes in your evening routine once a week to start, as acid treatments are best used at night to keep things simple and safe around sun exposure. If your skin handles it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
Using this exfoliant with retinol can easily overwhelm your skin, so it is best to use them on different nights to avoid irritation. Apply this treatment on its own evening and keep your retinol for another night, following both with a gentle moisturizer.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine. If your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it features ingredients that help clear blemishes and smooth texture while maintaining an excellent safety profile without harsh irritants. Studies suggest that its key components support acne-prone skin safely without hindering treatment or causing comedogenic effects.
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
Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A combination of dermapen and glycolic acid peel significantly decreased acne scar grades and resulted in higher patient satisfaction compared to either monotherapy in 30 patients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Hinokitiol 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, 2017Dermatological 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, 2021Repeated 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, 2025Beta-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, 2025Topical 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, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical 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, 2023
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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