What is glycolic acid in skincare?
Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid derived from sugar cane. It has the smallest molecular size of the AHA family, which lets it penetrate the stratum corneum more readily than lactic or mandelic acid – and makes it both the most effective and the most likely to sting.
It works by dissolving the bonds holding dead cells to the surface, so they shed evenly instead of accumulating. Cosmetic strengths run from around 5% to 10%, with professional peels going considerably higher.
What skin concerns does glycolic acid treat?
It is one of the best-evidenced ingredients for dullness, rough texture and uneven tone, and it visibly brightens within a few uses. Over longer periods it fades sun spots and post-acne marks, softens fine lines and helps clear congestion.
Regular use also stimulates collagen production and thickens the deeper epidermis, so the benefit is structural as well as surface-level.
What ingredients are best paired with glycolic acid?
Follow it with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, glycerin and panthenol to replace what exfoliation costs the barrier. Niacinamide is a good companion for tone, and vitamin C works well on alternate days.
Do not stack it with retinoids, BHAs or benzoyl peroxide in the same step unless your skin is well conditioned, and start at twice a week. Glycolic acid increases sun sensitivity, so daily SPF is essential. Take our Skin Quiz.
What is pigmentation?
Pigmentation refers to any change in the colour of the skin caused by melanin. Hyperpigmentation – the common form – means patches darker than your natural tone, including sun spots, melasma, freckles and the marks left behind after acne or injury.
Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the lower epidermis and handed to surrounding skin cells. When that process is over-stimulated or unevenly distributed, the result is a visible patch rather than an even tone.
What causes pigmentation?
Ultraviolet exposure is the single largest trigger, because UV directly activates melanin production as a protective response. Inflammation is the second: acne, eczema, friction, waxing, burns or harsh procedures can all leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is more common and longer-lasting in deeper skin tones.
Hormonal change, certain medications, heat and genetics complete the picture. Without daily sun protection, treated pigment reliably returns.
What ingredients are best for pigmentation?
The most effective topicals work at different points of melanin production: vitamin C and niacinamide, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid, alpha arbutin, kojic acid and liquorice root extract.
Retinoids and gentle AHAs speed up turnover so pigmented cells clear faster. But broad-spectrum SPF worn daily is the ingredient that decides whether any of it holds – without it, results reverse within weeks. Take our Skin Quiz.
