Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser for skin with dark spots
Glycolic Acid
Glycerin
Jojoba Seed Oil
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Sodium HyaluronateHigh
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few cleansers 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 cleansing and moderate exfoliation for pigmentation for your normal skin, as glycolic acid effectively promotes skin renewal while succinoglycan and glycerin provide hydration.
- Calendula officinalis flower extract and jojoba seed oil further support skin health by soothing and nourishing.
- The formula is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this cleanser for its ability to combat dullness and uneven texture, leaving skin noticeably brighter and smoother without the harshness often associated with glycolic products. While effective for most skin types, those with drier or sensitive skin often recommend using it once daily or every other day to avoid tightness.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “non-stripping”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “doesn't irritate sensitive skin”
Brightens and adds glow Often Mentioned
- “lit from within glow”
- “undoes dullness”
- “radiant skin”
Pleasant sensory experience Sometimes Noted
- “fresh citrus scent”
- “jelly-like texture”
- “nice lather”
Smoothes skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “glass skin effect”
- “removes texture”
- “face feels completely flat/smooth”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “tightness”
- “dry as a bone”
- “flaking”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “splurge”
- “luxury side of skincare”
- “expensive”
Effective cleansing Rarely Noted
- “remove makeup well”
- “cleanse away brightness blockers”
- “squeaky clean”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “avoid eye area”
- “stings”
- “burns”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “mini freak outs”
- “small breakouts”
- “purging”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, johnlewis.com, skinsort.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser a great fit for skin with dark spots?
Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is a great fit because glycolic acid helps clear dark spots by promoting skin renewal, while glycerin keeps your skin hydrated. Jojoba seed oil and calendula flower extract further support your skin by soothing and nourishing it.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid makes this cleanser a great fit for skin with dark spots because it effectively helps promote skin renewal, while glycerin and succinoglycan keep your skin hydrated.
What does Glycolic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid helps fade dark spots and improves uneven skin tone by encouraging the shedding of pigmented surface cells. When used in treatments or peels alongside other brightening ingredients, it may further reduce the severity of stubborn discoloration.
What does Glycerin do for skin with dark spots?
Glycerin helps keep dry skin hydrated and supports a healthy skin barrier, which makes skin feel soft and smooth. While it does not directly fade dark spots on its own, it is often added to spot-fading products to keep the skin comfortable while other ingredients work.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine right after removing makeup in the evening. It helps clean the skin while gently clearing dark spots with glycolic acid, while glycerin and jojoba seed oil keep the face soft.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using it in your morning routine or on nights when you skip retinol, as combining daily glycolic acid and retinol at the same time may cause too much irritation. Using them on alternate times helps keep your skin smooth and clear of dark spots safely.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your skin with dark spots because glycolic acid helps renew the skin while glycerin and jojoba seed oil keep it hydrated and soft. You can start using it once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and looks good, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause major breakouts for skin with dark spots because it is free of harsh ingredients and helps promote skin renewal with glycolic acid. Initial breakouts are also low for most users.
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 your eyes. The skin around the eyes is much thinner than the skin on the body and face, making it more easily irritated by exfoliating ingredients like glycolic acid.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
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 jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Repeated 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, 2017The 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, 2012Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Nanolipidgel formulations with argan or jojoba oil and humectants demonstrate good sensory attributes, instrumental properties, and moisturizing efficacy for cosmetic application.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Topical application of Calendula officinalis extract cream significantly improved skin hydration and firmness (reflected in significant changes in R0 and R6 parameters) in 21 healthy human volunteers compared to a base cream.
Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 2011Treatment with standardized extract of Calendula officinalis L. led to a shorter epithelization time and faster healing speed compared to mineral oil in patients with acute skin loss wounds of the hand and fingers healing by secondary intention.
Tissue Barriers, 2022Topical administration of Calendula provides weak evidence of effectiveness in acute and chronic wounds compared to standard treatments based on a narrative review of available trials.
Wounds, 2008Topical 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
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Peg-6 Cocamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Succinoglycan, Jojoba Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Urea, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Pca, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
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
How does it fit your skin?
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