Acid exfoliators come in wide varieties and strengths—some are quite intense and need to be incorporated into your routine slowly (glycolic acid, I’m looking at you) and others are gentle enough to be used on the most sensitive skin types. Ultimately, though, they all have the same goal: to slough away dead skin cells and reveal the brighter, smoother skin that lies beneath.
As someone with pretty sensitive, acne-prone skin, I’ve always been most drawn to lactic acid. Not only is it one of the gentler AHAs on the market (meaning it doesn’t make my skin break out or flare up), but it also has a hydrating effect, which makes my skin positively glow every time I use it.
