10% Glycolic Acid Serum: Benefits and How to Use It
The overnight treatment I didn’t expect to love.
Glycolic acid isn’t something I would normally have reached for. My skin is dry, sensitive and reactive, so a peel didn’t sound like an obvious choice. Then I was given an overnight glycolic peel at a Clear Skin clinic, and my skin felt amazing afterwards.
It made me wonder how I could bring that feeling into a routine at home, at a lower cost, with ingredients to support my skin’s hydration and comfort.
What I learned about Glycolic Acid
Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid, or AHA. It helps loosen the bonds between dead cells at the skin’s surface, allowing them to shed more easily. That is why it can help skin look smoother, brighter and more even. The concentration matters, but so do the formula’s pH, the other ingredients and how your skin responds.
The ingredients alongside it matter to me
With my dry, sensitive, reactive skin, I wanted hydration and comfort to be part of the formula too. Glycerine, saccharide isomerate and biosaccharide gum-1 help attract and retain moisture. Alpha-bisabolol and calendula provide soothing and skin-conditioning care, while sunflower, sweet almond, grapeseed and seabuckthorn oils help soften and nourish the skin. Vitamin E adds further conditioning. These supporting ingredients are there to help skin feel hydrated, soft and comfortable alongside the exfoliation. That matters to me just as much as the Glycolic Acid itself.
Made in Australia · Paraben-free · Sulphate-free · Fragrance-free · Artificial colour-free
How it fits into my routine
For me, this is an occasional treatment: around two evenings every few weeks, depending on how my skin feels. That is my own routine, rather than a schedule everyone needs to follow.
I roll a thin layer of 10% Glycolic Acid Serum onto clean, dry skin at night and gently massage it into my face, avoiding my eyes and lips. I leave it on and follow with my moisturiser. In the morning, around eight hours later, I gently rinse with tepid water, reapply moisturiser. Avoid the sun the following day or ensure your skin has protection.
I give my skin a few days without physical exfoliation and let the Glycolic Acid do its job. If I have an event coming up, I like to use it 7–10 days beforehand, giving my skin time to settle before I want it looking its best under makeup.
What I notice afterwards
The next morning, my skin feels amazing—softer and smoother—and the fine lines look less deep to me. Over time, I’ve noticed less of the little white build-up I used to see coming from my pores a few days after a treatment. Just when I think my skin couldn’t look any better, it surprises me again.
When I first apply it there is a little stinging, which feels less intense than the clinic treatment. That is my experience, but stinging is not something to push through: if it stings strongly, keeps stinging after a few minutes, or feels like it’s burning or irritating your skin, rinse it off.
For me, 10% Glycolic Acid Serum has become an occasional step I really look forward to. I love waking up to skin that feels smoother, with fine lines that look less deep.
Phoefi x
Patch test first and avoid broken or irritated skin. A 10% exfoliant will not suit every sensitive skin type. Use sun protection while using Glycolic Acid and for a week afterwards. If the serum is new to you, try it well before an important event. Individual results vary.