🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Toner for dry skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Toner

Average

  • LowDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for dry skin; other toners 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 due to glycolic acid, which supports general skincare benefits but is not specifically targeted for your dry or flaky skin concerns.
  • While the absence of harsh ingredients makes it safe for your dry skin, the glycolic acid can cause dryness and irritation without sufficient humectant or emollient ingredients to counteract this effect.
  • The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use your exfoliating toner as part of your PM routine once a week to start. If your skin is happy, you can slowly use it more often.
  • Apply this exfoliating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. This keeps your skin care steps in the right order.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it soak in for a minute before the next step.
  • Put the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin to help it work best. Avoid rubbing so your face stays calm and happy.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

Users frequently praise this toner as a potent and affordable exfoliant that effectively smooths rough texture and minimizes the appearance of pores, particularly for oily or congestion-prone skin. Due to its high 10% glycolic acid concentration, it is often described as too harsh for sensitive skin types, with some users reporting stinging or irritation.

Highlights

  • Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “skin has never been softer”
    • “smooths out rough skin”
    • “resurfacing effect is noticeable”
  • Great value Often Mentioned
    • “great affordable option”
    • “good value”
    • “lasts for ages”
  • Reduces pores & acne Often Mentioned
    • “got rid of my bacne”
    • “clears blackheads effectively”
    • “pores look smaller”
  • Brightens complexion Sometimes Noted
    • “radiant glow”
    • “brighter and shinier”
    • “glow skin in next day”
  • Irritation and stinging Sometimes Noted
    • “felt really irritated”
    • “turned red”
    • “feels a bit stingy”
  • Too strong/drying Sometimes Noted
    • “too strong for my face”
    • “skin hated it”
    • “drying to the surface”
  • Purging/Breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “worsened my acne”
    • “breakout purging”
    • “caused reaction”
  • Small packaging Rarely Noted
    • “bottle is a little small”
    • “wish it was bigger”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, cultbeauty.com, boots.com, lookfantastic.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The INKEY List Glycolic Acid Toner work for dry skin?

This toner works for dry skin only moderately because, while it is safe, its exfoliating ingredients do not target dry or flaky skin concerns and can cause dryness. Without enough ingredients that bring in moisture and keep skin soft, dry skin needs a formula with soothing and hydrating extras like aloe and sodium hyaluronate.

Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry skin?

This toner is only an average fit for dry skin because its glycolic acid can cause dryness and irritation without enough moisturizing ingredients to balance it out. A product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like aloe and sodium hyaluronate to keep dry skin soft and comfortable.

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.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1995

What does Witch Hazel do for dry skin?

Witch hazel helps calm dry and irritated skin while reducing water loss to keep it comfortable. It also supports skin recovery and helps soothe redness.

Phytochemistry, 2001

Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This toner goes in the evening routine after cleansing, starting just once a week. Because it contains glycolic acid, dry skin needs plenty of hydrating ingredients and rich moisturizers alongside it to prevent dryness and irritation.

Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this toner and retinol in the same routine, but because both can dry out your skin, it is best to use them on alternate nights or apply the toner in the morning and retinol at night to avoid irritation. Dry skin needs products packed with rich hydrating and soothing ingredients to stay comfortable and smooth.

How often should I use it?

Start by using this exfoliating toner once a week in the evening, as this helps dry skin adjust safely. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. Because it can cause dryness and irritation on dry skin without enough moisturizing and softening ingredients, this skin type needs extra hydration and rich soothing ingredients to stay smooth and calm.

Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its safety profile is good and it lacks harsh ingredients. However, the glycolic acid can dry out your skin, so it needs extra hydrating and softening ingredients to keep your skin smooth and comfortable.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).

What the research says

  • Repeated 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, 2000

  • Serial 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, 2017

  • A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

  • Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.

    Phytochemistry, 2001

  • Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.

    Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025

  • Topical application of 1,3-propanediol at various concentrations, alone or combined with butylene glycol and/or glycerol, increased skin hydration and reduced trans epidermal water loss in 30 healthy female subjects over an 8-hour period, with the 15% concentration and the addition of glycerol providing greater benefits.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

  • A mixture of propanediol, xylitol, and caprylic acid demonstrated in vitro antimicrobial activity against C. acnes and S. aureus, reduced 5-alpha reductase expression, and decreased skin oiliness, porphyrin, and inflammatory lesions in participants over 28 days.

    Molecules, 2021

  • Sustainable cosmetic products formulated with renewable PDO-based emulsifiers showed equivalent performance in sensory and moisturization evaluations compared to those formulated with petroleum-derived PEG-based emulsifiers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017

Why other toners fit dry skin better

  • A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

  • Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.

    Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016

  • Gluconolactone treatment significantly increased facial skin hydration in 16 healthy women, with no significant differences between 10% and 30% solutions.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2021

Ingredients

Water, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Witch Hazel Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Betaine, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Saudi Arabia.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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