[Update 181017: Sunday Riley has admitted to having employees post fake reviews on Sephora after a whistleblower leaked an email outlining the practice to Reddit’s SkincareAddiction. Read more about the story in my post.]
Welcome to the fourth season of fanserviced-b, this is the blog’s birthday celebration! When I started the blog in April 2014, I was a kpop fangirl who had no logical place to post her beauty reviews. Since then, I’ve reviewed a ton of beauty boxes, skincare, and a little makeup, but I’m still operating without a particular goal other than looking at the evidence and telling the truth about it as best as I can. It turns out that something even as simple as that can be useful (a somewhat sad commentary on the state of mainstream beauty writing). Thank you for being here and a special shout-out to the people who knew me back when I was just fanserviced (the b is for beauty).
Each year I come up with a birthday project for the blog. This year it’s a fairly expensive and time-consuming quest: to try to find a dupe for Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. Like so many quests, it’s not the destination, but what you learn along the way that matters.
The hunt for a Good Genes dupe
At $105 per ounce, Sunday Riley’s Good Genes is just really damn expensive. The tragic thing is that it works for a lot of skin (including mine); I wish I could drag it and move along, but my skin loves it.
That said, working on this project and comparing the formula to 16 other lactic acids or lactic-containing blends made me realize what Good Genes really is. It should be thought of as an instant or overnight facial in a bottle, not really a daily-use lactic acid unless you love it, hate everything else, and/or need Your Very Best Skin every day. Good Genes only contains 5% lactic acid; numbers as large as 40% have been bandied around, but that’s total nonsense. The pH level is a low 2.6. The low pH level releases more of the acid to exfoliate your skin immediately, but it also increases the risk of irritation. Good Genes contains a ton of temporary brightening and soothing ingredients that help to counter irritation and give you instant glow. The first few times I used it I was stunned that I could exfoliate at night and wake up with skin that was so smooth and calm. It’s those ingredients that make Good Genes a cult classic.
The reason it’s so difficult to truly dupe Good Genes is because people have been looking to other lactic acids for the answer, but the Good Genes lactic acid/pH combination isn’t even what’s special about the product (I’d argue that the lactic/pH ratio is a drawback tbh due to the potential for irritation). What makes Good Genes special would be everything else in the ingredient list — and those ingredients are much harder to find and expensive for skincare makers to buy. I parsed the ingredient list over and over in many different ways, and there’s really nothing that has the same ingredient lineup.
My argument: Good Genes for instant results, a cheaper lactic acid for long-term use
I think we should classify Good Genes as “Special Event Skincare” due to the fact that it’s so pricey and it does help most skin look instantly (or overnightly) better.
I think we should not classify it as a daily use lactic acid. I started this project baffled by the high prices of popular lactic acids and assumed that lactic must be an expensive or hard-to-buy ingredient. It’s not. If you’re a regular lactic acid user, I think you can buy cheaper lactic acids with higher acid percentages and higher pH levels that end up being less irritating to your skin but also more powerful in terms of exfoliation. If you’re able to walk away from the psychological need for a burn from your acid and don’t need the instant soothing/brightening, you can pay a lot less for something that actually exfoliates more.
Is there a Good Genes dupe somewhere in this post?
No. If you want a skincare product that delivers both the lactic acid and skin soothing/glowifying of Good Genes, I think you need at least two products. Maybe my standards for dupes are too high: I won’t call something a dupe unless it’s so close there’s potential intellectual property infringement. That said, a lot of what people like about Good Genes can’t be replicated by other products because they’re missing half of the equation (usually the skin soothers/glow-makers). To pretend otherwise is to misunderstand the formula.
If you’re here because you want a kickass lactic acid, I think you can find one that’s better than Good Genes from this list of 16 alternatives. Better AND cheaper. The lactic side of the Good Genes formula is iffy imo, and you can trade up while paying a lot less.
Do lactic acids need to be expensive?
Absolutely not. Lactic acids products are expensive because they can be (there just aren’t that many of them out there). But when I tested some very affordable lactics, they totally worked and delivered fantastic results.
*Jan voice* “Lactic, lactic lactic!” Why so obsessed with lactic acid?
Lactic acid molecules are bigger than glycolic acid molecules, meaning that they don’t burrow as deeply into your skin. That means gentler exfoliation. AHAs also help attract water to your skin and lactic acid is more hydrating than glycolic.
If you have dry and sensitive skin, lactic acids are the shit. I don’t have dry skin and my skin tends to be pretty resilient with everything but cleansers, but I still love lactic acids because they work and they make my skin look better overnight. They also contribute to the long-term progress of my skin by helping old clogs surface.
For some reason, glycolic acid products outnumber lactics by a lot, but I personally feel like it should be the other way around.
Sting is a great musical artist, not a great way to measure the effectiveness of acids (same with percentages)
I considered doing more with the science angle since pH level and the amount of acid in the product work together to determine how much free acid is in the formula (for more on that check out Lab Muffin’s post). I decided to mostly drive the fuck back outta that lane when my friend Stephen from kindofstephen (he’s a cosmetic chemist) explained that even if you can calculate the amount of free acid in a product, there’s still a ton customers don’t know such as the delivery system. He told me that while one person just testing stuff on their face feels unscientific (because…it is), half-there science can be really misleading and unhelpful.
As a result, I’m doing a limited amount of sciencing here and mostly sticking to testing observations, but I do think that explaining why a product with more of a stinging feeling upon application might end up exfoliating less is useful.
The feeling of stinging upon application, percentages, ingredients — they’re all useful hints about a product, but what matters is how it performs on your face. For example, Good Genes stings a fair bit when I apply it most days (I also have a major routine including other acids and Differin around it), but BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum doesn’t really sting. That might suggest that Good Genes is more powerful than the Lac-Luronic Serum. Ehh…it’s more complicated than that.
Good Genes has about 5% lactic acid at a pH of 2.6, meaning that there’s 4.74% free acid in the formula when it hits my skin.
Lac-Luronic Serum has 15% lactic acid at a pH of 3.5, meaning that there’s 10.44% free acid in the formula when it hits my skin.
While Lac-Luronic has more free acid ready to get down to business immediately, the higher pH level means it’s less likely to irritate my skin. Testing confirms this.
As a consumer, I can’t know all the details of the formulas of these products, but this sliver of science helped me realize that you can’t just rely on the stinging feeling and the [often wrong] concentration percentages floating around to pick the best acid; you really have to get it on your skin and see what it does.
Personal preference: cocktails are for drinking
Some lactic products contain other acids — including some really exciting Other Acids. I prefer to apply each acid type individually so I can stress my skin the right amount for exfoliation and anti-aging, but prevent overexfoliation. But that’s just me, do what works for you.
Some of this stuff doesn’t need to be in there
It’s my sense that added fragrances, simple alcohol, and menthol (!!!) don’t need to be in acids, and they increase the likelihood that someone could have a reaction to the formula. Why these are added…no idea.
How I talk about cost
Especially when talking about products from smaller brands that usually charge for shipping and expensive products that incur almost $10 extra in sales tax, I think it’s important to talk about how much it actually costs to get products in your hands, not just retail prices.
I’m based in NYC, so shipping and tax figures are specific to where I’m at; the point is to offer a baseline for real cost comparison. I realize that not everyone lives in my hood. lol
How I tested pH
When I realized I was going to test a fuckton of acids, I decided to spring for a fancier pH meter, the Extech Instruments PH110 Waterproof ExStik pH Meter, recommended to me by Chel at Holy Snails. Why did I throw down money like that from the blog’s limited budget? Because it only requires a drop of product to measure the pH level, *SPLOOSH*. With my meter and some buffering solutions, I was able to test all the products in hopes of learning just a bit more about what I’m putting on my face.
Which products I tested, one I didn’t
I bought one of literally every lactic acid product I could find including a ton mentioned in comments on other posts here on fan-b. If lactic acid seemed incidental and was way down the ingredient list, I skipped it. One lactic product I didn’t buy was the Olga Lorencin Skin Care Lactic Acid Hydrating Serum, which costs $75 per ounce; the blog has only so much budget to blow, and that’s not enough of a price drop to justify a switch from Good Genes imo.
Where to put lactic acids in your routine
In the AHA slot. Need a basic outline of when to use your products? Click this:
Who Shouldn’t Use This
Lactic acid was originally made using cow milk, so it may not be suitable for people with milk allergies. By milk allergy, I mean a true milk allergy and not lactose intolerance; I’m lactose intolerant and I’ve tested 17 lactic acid products without a problem (it’s a completely different disorder related to digestive enzymes). All that said, apparently more lactic acids are now synthetic, so they may not even set off the skin of people with milk allergies.
Low-percentage (non-peel) AHAs like this should be suitable for those who are pregnant, but run it by your doctor.
The combo of lactic acid and Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract in some of the products potentially raises some concerns for darker skin tones. While the lactic acid molecules are bigger than those in glycolic and the concentration isn’t peel-like, the addition of Licorice Root Extract in many lactic acid products makes me nervous about recommending them to readers who want exfoliation, but want to maintain their natural melanin. [I’m not a scientist, so this paragraph is written for the sake of full disclosure, not settling the issue.] While AHAs like lactic acids exfoliate to lift off pigmentation that’s acquired due to exposure to the sun and hyperpigmentation from old blemishes, Licorice Root Extract actually works on the melanin to potentially change your melanin from inside. From Lotioncrafter: “Studies have shown it may be of benefit in skin lightening products as it contains liquiritin and isoliquertin, flavonoid containing glycosides which induce skin lightening by dispersing melanin pigment and enhancing more even pigment distribution.” The phrasing of this is vague– this could be referring to hyperpigmentation rather than natural melanin, so I’m unclear whether this could impact your natural skin tone and should be dodged, or whether it’s just going to affect damaged areas.
I don’t seek out skin lightening products and I suspect that there’s not enough Licorice Root Extract to make a big difference for my skin (my skin doesn’t look lighter after using Good Genes for some time). Licorice Root Extract is fairly common in kbeauty products, and we haven’t had reports of skin lightening from fans. That said, I can see why readers with darker skin would dodge this product and go for a mandelic acid, which is recommended by Makeup Artist’s Choice for exfoliation minus unwanted lightening. Sheryll Donerson from the Wanderlust Project wrote in xoNecole about her love of mandelic acid for exfoliation minus the possible melanin disruption.
STOP: Do you even sunscreen, bro?!
Don’t even think of slapping these products on your face without a daily sunscreen in your DAILY (I mean DAILY) routine. DAILY! I’m not talking about some SPF 30 in your moisturizer that you dab on, your face needs at least 1/4 teaspoon of real sunscreen every damn morning (and reapplied if you’re outdoors and sweating). And idgaf if you live in Seattle or the UK and you haven’t seen sun for years etc etc, spare me, UV still happens to people under clouds, get that shit on.
Why am I being so Hermoine about this? Because AHAs exfoliate layers of your skin right off, leaving you with even less protection from the sun; you’re offering up your babiest baby skin to the very rays that age skin and potentially cause cancer. It would be irresponsible of me to skip a strong warning on a post like this.
I like the 2015 version of Biore Watery Essence (baby blue bottles, you can find it on Amazon and eBay still, I don’t like the 2017 teal version as much) and I just ordered a bottle of Nivea Sun Protect Super Water Gel SPF 50/PA+++, which is super cool because it’s giant and has a pump (!!!); two pumps are apparently the recommended dose. I’ll report back on the Nivea once it arrives and I have time to test it.
Trust me, I’m just as pissed about the need for sunscreen as you probably are, but I’ve seen what happens to the skin of people who pretend like it’s not important. Love yourself, wear the sunscreen.
My Picks (click the product name to jump to the review)
(With the exception of Sunday Riley, the blog doesn’t have contact with any of the following recommended brands, hasn’t received sample products for review from them, and does not earn affiliate commission from any purchases you make after clicking on my shop links. While there are other lactic acids I’ve reviewed in this post that do have affiliate programs that offer commission, those formulas weren’t the best and I really hope you don’t buy them.)
If you want a well-made, effective lactic acid serum –> BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum
If you want a basic, well-formulated, 10% lactic acid –> Bravura London 10% Lactic Acid
If you want to bring your closed comedones to skincare jesus ASAP –> Garden of Wisdom Lactic Acid 8% Exfo Pads
If you want to use Biologique Recherche like the cool kids but you’re scared about burning your face off –> Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 PIGM 400
If you want to pay as little as possible for a lactic acid product –> Silk Naturals 8% AHA Toner
If you want a an overnight facial effect and are prepared to drop the $$$ –> Sunday Riley Good Genes
17 Lactic Acid Reviews
Click to jump:
B. Kamins Lactic-10
BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 PIGM 400
Bravura London 10% Lactic Acid
DHC Renewing AHA Cream
Eucerin DermoPURIFYER Active Concentrate
Garden of Wisdom Lactic Acid 8% Exfo Pads
January Labs Retexturizing Night Cream
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2%
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%
Priori Advanced AHA Perfection Facial Gel
Refinity Skin Science Rejuvenating Hydrogel
Sarah Chapman Liquid Facial Resurfacer
Silk Naturals 8% AHA Toner
Sunday Riley Good Genes
B. Kamins Lactic-10
Size: 30ml/1 oz.
Cost: $40.00 + free shipping (Dermstore) + $3.55 tax = $43.55
Cost per ounce: $43.55
Packaging: amber glass bottle with a rubber dropper
Ingredients: Aqua/water/eau, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Acer Saccharum (Maple Isolate), PPG-5-ceteth-20,Octoxynol-12,Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Zinc PCA, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 4.0 (stated), 3.9 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: light, slightly tacky layer of somethingness at first, dries down to feel like a very light coating on skin.
Smell: slightly sour and vinegar-y if you put your nose right over it. From 3 inches away, I can’t really smell it.
Performance: exfoliated without over-drying my skin, minimal sting. My skin was left soft and very slightly hydrated, but I didn’t notice any particular soothing effects.
Should you buy it: it’s actually not bad, but I’m not sure why you’d pay more than $40 per ounce for this when other lactics on the list cost less. It might be worth it to some to have salicylic included in the formula, but I prefer to keep my acids separate. Plus, for MUCH less per ounce, you could buy Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 PIGM 400, which I think delivers better results (btw neither are peels in the traditional sense, no idea where that idea is coming from). The smell and finish of B. Kamins Lactic-10 isn’t bad or overly annoying. This product just doesn’t get me hype, and at that price per ounce, I feel like it should. Buy it if you’re on a mission to support Canadian beauty, otherwise get the PIGM 400 if you want a lactic/salicylic cocktail.
Shop: Dermstore | B. Kamins
BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum (sold by Makeup Artist’s Choice (MUAC))
Size: 1 oz., 1.7 oz.
Cost: $26, $41 + $3.50 shipping = $29.50, $44.50
Cost per ounce: $26.18-$29.50
Packaging: airless pump (including cap)
Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Lactic Acid (15%), Glycerine, Panthanol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice root extract), Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysaccharide Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 15%
pH: 3.5 (stated), 3.5 (tested)
Consistency: watery gel.
Dry down feel: it dries down to what feels like a super thin, comfortable layer of light moisture.
Smell: it has a sharp, chemical-y smell if you put your nose right over it. The word that comes to mind is “solvent,” but that’s not quite correct. From 3 inches away, I can’t really smell it.
Performance: exfoliated my skin and left it moisturized and calm without causing a noticeable stinging sensation.
Should you buy it: YES. This is a nice, big dose of lactic acid at a pH that doesn’t cause tons of irritation, with a formula rich in bonus ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, and Licorice Root Extract. The packaging is fantastic and travel-friendly, the watery gel is easy to apply (not drippy or requiring cotton pads), and the formula is comfortable to wear. This isn’t a dupe for Good Genes because it lacks the unique soothing ingredients, but I find that it is less irritating while technically delivering more lactic acid to my skin (although % acid, pH, and the rest of the formula work together to determine how things actually act on your skin). Don’t let the simple branding and fairly clunky website fool you; this is actually the most sophisticated lactic acid on the list imo. I mean, check the pH levels: they promise 3.5 and deliver 3.5; I want these people making what I put on my face. If I was forced to name a Good Genes replacement, this would be it.
Shop: Makeup Artist’s Choice (code spring2017 will take 27% off one item until Monday, April 17, 11:59 p.m. EST)
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 (non-phenol)
Size: 1.7 oz., 5.1 oz., 8.5 oz.
Cost: $27, $65, $98
Cost per ounce: $15.88, $12.75, $11.53
Packaging: plastic, somewhat flexible bottle with a screw-off cap and shaker top for dispensing the product.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Citric Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Magnesium Chloride, Malic Acid, Vinegar (Acetum), Phytic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Rumex Acetosa Leaf Extract, Myrtus Communis Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Allium Cepa (Onion) Bulb Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf Oil, Sulfur, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 2.4 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: almost nothingness, slightest coating and feeling of friction when running your fingers over the treated area.
Smell: vinegar, the piss of a very sick person, something that dripped out of a bag of fermented trash
Performance: this does tend to exfoliate my skin, but I find that it digs into my skin too much and I end up dry and over-exfoliated eventually. There’s virtually nothing in the formula to help soothe skin after the acid beatdown.
Should you buy it: I find this downright unpleasant to use. The pH is extremely low, which makes the formula irritating to my skin, and the smell is absolutely dreadful. I guess I should ask (reminder that this is a no-judgement, no kink-shaming zone): do you enjoy suffering? Seriously, do you like the burn of some skincare products? I’m always a bit amazed that people like the original phenol and non-phenol P50 versions of Biologique Recherche lotion; my skin and retinoid use make P50 unbearable. I blew the last of my small bottle on my scalp (feels great) and I literally had red tracks where drips ran down my face (keep in mind that I use a daily retinoid and use acids frequently). And I love acids! I just think that this one has a cult following because 1) it really does work for a lot of skin, 2) we’re conditioned to think that sting equals results, 3) it is said to cost a lot (it’s actually downright affordable per ounce compared to a lot of other stuff here tbh), and 4) it’s the first real acid that a lot of people who write things that a lot of people read have tried. I don’t think that this is remotely like Good Genes despite both being marketed as a facial in a bottle.
Shop: Rescue Spa | Paul Labrecque | Vicki Morav
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V
Size: 1.7 oz., 5.1 oz., 8.5 oz.
Cost: $27, $63, $96
Cost per ounce: $15.88, $12.35, $11.29
Packaging: plastic, somewhat flexible bottle with a screw-off cap and shaker top for dispensing the product.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Vinegar (Acetum), Magnesium Chloride, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Phytic Acid, Spongilla Lacustris Spicule Extract, Yeast Extract (Faex Extract), Cochlearia Armoracia (Horseradish) Root Extract, Capiscum Frutescens Fruit Extract, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Sulfur, Sodium Salicylate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Benzoate. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 2.4 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: almost nothingness, very slight drag when I run my fingers over it
Smell: light vinegar scent
Performance: I find that this pulls back from the P50 (non-phenol) formula too much and leaves my skin wanting more exfoliation. It’s just too gentle.
Should you buy it: if you have dry or normal skin and need a gentle exfoliant, this could be the cocktail you’re looking for. My skin loves acids, but finds P50 too much to take while P50V is not enough to do the trick. This actually feels more like a toner I can use before makeup (think Pixi’s Glow Tonic) rather than a major exfoliator.
Shop: Rescue Spa | Paul Labrecque | Vicki Morav
Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 PIGM 400
Size: 1.7 oz., 5.1 oz., 8.5 oz.
Cost: $30.00, $66.00, $112.00 (free shipping from Rescue Spa)
Cost per ounce: $17.65, $12.94, $13.18
Packaging: plastic, somewhat flexible bottle with a screw-off cap and shaker top for dispensing the product.
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Gluconate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Magnesium Chloride, Mandelic Acid, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Magnesium Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Palmaria Palmata Extract (Red Alga), Levulinic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Vinegar, Soidum Levulinate, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbic Acid, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 3.2 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: almost nothingness, very slight drag when I run my fingers over it
Smell: a slight hint of vinegar off in the distance, otherwise pretty neutral.
Performance: the just-right P50 for my skin, stronger than P50V and way less psycho than regular P50 — it does the exfoliation thing just right.
Should you buy it: if you have hyperpigmentation from sun damage or past acne that you want to lift from your skin via exfoliation, this formula is an acid cocktail that will get the job done. It smells less terrible and causes less irritation for me than the regular Lotion P50, and I find that I’m able to use it more consistently since it doesn’t hurt and reek. It’s still not one of my favorite products, but if I’d have to switch from a bunch of different acids each night (appllied one by one) to an acid cocktail, this formula is do-able, it works, and it ends up being rather affordable per ounce.
Shop: Rescue Spa | Paul Labrecque | Vicki Morav
Bravura London 10% Lactic Acid
Size: 30ml/1.01 oz.
Cost: £7.99 (VAT removed) + £6.50 shipping = £14.49 ($18.58)
Cost per ounce: $18.58
Packaging: purple-pink frosted glass bottle with a rubber dropper
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Rose Floral Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Sodium Citrate. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 10%
pH: 3.75 (stated), 3.5 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: a light, dried-down glycerin feel that has a bit of friction when I run my fingers over it. Then it dries down to nothingness.
Smell: a light hint of natural rose with a background of chemicals
Performance: it exfoliates and well, but I don’t find it especially irritating.
Should you buy it: YES. If you’re looking for a fairly simple but good lactic acid that gets the job done, this is great. There’s a good dose of lactic acid in the product, but the pH level is high enough that it doesn’t sting my skin like Good Genes and Lotion P50 do. Overall, pleasant to use. If I were able to reformulate it, I’d just try to make it slightly more gel-like so it’s not drippy; but if you’re not in a rush, you shouldn’t have problems. This product is proof that you can get a good lactic acid that’s pleasant to use for a price that’s not extortionate.
Shop: Bravura London
DHC Renewing AHA Cream
Size: 45ml/1.5 oz.
Cost: $42.50 + $3.77 tax + free shipping = $46.27
Cost per ounce: $30.85
Packaging: tall, frosted glass bottle with a plastic pump
Ingredients: Water/aqua/eau, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Lactate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Dioctyldodeceth-5 Lauroyl Glutamate, Olea Europaea (olive) Fruit Oil, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Zinc Oxide, Xanthan Gum, Saccharide Isomerate, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Biosaccharide Gum-1. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 3.4 (tested)
Consistency: thin lotion
Dry down feel: it feels like a lotion, but one that never fully sinks in, making my skin sticky.
Smell: chemical-y, but not strong or overpowering
Performance: the DHC lotion does seem to offer some exfoliation, but the lotion leaves my skin sticky and gross feeling.
Should you buy it: this lactic lotion has some bite, but it ends up feeling fairly disgusting on my normal-to-oily skin because the lotion hangs out on the surface and never fully sinks in. In terms of formula texture and consistency, this is the closest product to Good Genes straight out of the bottle (although Good Genes sinks in better), but it substitutes fairly run-of-the-mill ingredients for the skin soothers and instant brighteners that make Good Genes what it is. At about $30 per ounce, I think you can do better.
Shop: Dermstore | Amazon
Eucerin DermoPURIFYER Active Concentrate
Size: 30ml/1 oz.
Cost: €8.22 + €3.54 shipping = €11.76 ($13.08)
Cost per ounce: $13.08
Packaging: small glass bottle with a plastic pump and cap.
Ingredients: Aqua, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Methylpropanediol, Lactic Acid, Decylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 3.7 (tested)
Consistency: very thin lotion that turns watery on contact with skin
Dry down feel: it dries down beautifully and the ingredients temporarily smooth my skin.
Smell: to me, the smell is like…granny laundry soap, absolutely disgusting.
Performance: I realized when I got this that it’s really more of a lotion with some incidental lactic acid in it. It performs like a lotion, but I didn’t notice much in the way of exfoliation.
Should you buy it: absolutely not, if you’re after a serious lactic acid. Not only is the smell strong, the product seems mainly aimed at temporarily smoothing and hydrating skin rather than delivering an effective dose of lactic acid.
Shop: FeelUnique
Garden of Wisdom Lactic Acid 8% Exfo Pads
Size: 50 pads
Cost: $13.60 + $3.95 shipping = $17.55
Cost per pad: $0.35
Packaging: a plain white plastic jar that seals surprisingly well.
Ingredients: Water, lactic acid. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 8%
pH: 1.9 (stated), 1.9 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: nothingness
Smell: almost honey-ish, surprisingly not like chemicals
Performance: these pads “scale” my skin in the most satisfying way, melting off layers of skin to purge out clogs. It’s not pretty, but DAMN it gets the job done.
Should you buy it: yes, if you really want a lactic pad. The pH and acid combination plus the rather basic pads irritate my skin on first contact. There’s literally nothing there to soothe your skin, it’s as straightforward as acids get. Yet the bare bones formula really reveals the power of lactic acid; even without skin-soothers and humectants, my skin ends up hydrated and smooth. These pads purged out closed comedones like crazy and I got rather addicted to them. They aren’t the cheapest way to get your lactic fix, but they totally work and aren’t bad to use aside from the initial irritation.
Shop: Garden of Wisdom
January Labs Retexturizing Night Cream
Size: 1.7 oz.
Cost: $74 + shipping, I paid £45.00 ($57.69) with free shipping at Cult Beauty
Cost per ounce: $33.94, $43.53
Packaging: sturdy plastic bottle with an integrated plastic pump. Not sure how you’d go about getting out the last bits of the product. Unless I use this really regularly, the first bit of lotion I pump out is always dried; I’m faced with a choice between trying to reconstitute it or throwing the lotion booger away.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Lactic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Sodium Lactate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Verbena Officinalis Extract, Beta Glucan, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii, Glycerin, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soybean Fiber, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 3.6 (tested)
Consistency: lotion
Dry down feel: it feels like a serious lotion and it really doesn’t layer well with my other skincare products. I find that it doesn’t want to sink into my normal-to-oily skin. Overall, pretty unpleasant.
Smell: it has a heavy playdough/cooking oil smell. I find it really unpleasant. Did I mention unpleasant?
Performance: I have a hard time disentangling the exfoliation and hydration from the lactic acid from the skin effects caused by the emollients. I wake up with skin that’s fine, but the formula makes my skin feel oily.
Should you buy it: Given the price and fact that it smells and feels so bad to me, I can’t recommend this. It might be a good product for someone with extremely dry skin who wants to combine their nightly skincare routine into one fairly disgusting step, but…why. The smell, feel of the formula, and the packaging are really lacking in my opinion.
Shop: Amazon | January Labs | Cult Beauty
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2%
Size: 30ml/1.01 oz.
Cost: $6.50 + $5.00 shipping = $11.50
Cost per ounce: $11.50
Packaging: frosted glass bottle with a rubber dropper top
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Arginine, Potassium Citrate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethyl 2,2-Dimethylhydrocinnamal, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 5%
pH: 3.60-3.80 (stated), 3.5 (tested — yes, I calibrated and tested multiple times)
Consistency: watery gel
Dry down feel: a glycerin finish and slightly tacky feel, but not terrible.
Smell: fairly potent, and the smell comes from ethyl 2,2-dimethylhydrocinnamal, which is a fragrance, as in it doesn’t have to be in there. The smell is less strong than in the 10% version.
Performance: I didn’t find that this did a lot for my skin. It ended up slightly exfoliated and slightly more hydrated…maybe? It just wasn’t an impact player in my routine.
Should you buy it: This is a fairly low amount of lactic acid with a pH that’s high enough to keep things very gentle. To be honest, it really doesn’t do much for my skin, but if your skin screams when confronted with acids, this might be the tricycle you need to get rolling. The fragrance is more muted than the 10% version, but I’m still not a fan. If your skin is very sensitive you could try using the Bravura London 10% lactic acid instead and just apply it after a moisutrizing toner and an essence, but before cream to buffer the acid.
Shop: Deciem | Beautylish
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%
Size: 30ml/1.01 oz.
Cost: $6.79 + $5.00 shipping = $11.79
Cost per ounce: $11.79
Packaging: frosted glass bottle with a rubber dropper top
Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Arginine, Potassium Citrate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethyl 2,2-Dimethylhydrocinnamal, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 10%
pH: 3.6-3.8 (stated), 3.5 (tested — yes, I calibrated and tested multiple times)
Consistency: watery gel
Dry down feel: a glycerin finish and tacky feel that lessens over time, tackier than the 5% version.
Smell: urgh, pretty potent, and the smell comes from ethyl 2,2-dimethylhydrocinnamal, which is a fragrance, as in it doesn’t have to be in there.
Performance: this exfoliated my skin and felt fine. I didn’t notice crazy purging like I did with the Garden of Wisdom pads or next-morning magical skin like with Good Genes, but it worked fine.
Should you buy it: A nice dose of lactic acid at a pH that keeps things gentle, this should have been a hit for me, but it’s not my favorite. The scent is a massive turnoff and I don’t feel like I see the results in terms of exfoliation or skin calming like I do with other lactics in the same price category. I have 17 lactic acids on my desk right now, I can tell you with certainty that they don’t need to smell that bad. The formula does leave my skin nicely smooth and hydrated, so I can see why people who are less repelled by the scent would buy and like this. I think the Bravura London formula delivers better results while being more pleasant to use.
Shop: Deciem | Beautylish
Priori Advanced AHA Perfection Facial Gel
Size: 1 oz.
Cost: $48
Cost per ounce: $48
Packaging: the slim, hard plastic bottle is very nice and the pump works well.
Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Silica, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 3.5 (tested)
Consistency: gel
Dry down feel: this takes forever to dry down and ends up feeling tacky and even sticky when it finally does — it’s like a sticky egg white finish.
Smell: not much smell at all, just a whiff of chemicals if you stick your nose right over it.
Performance: I find that this does exfoliate my skin without unleashing a massive purge and it leaves my skin feeling hydrated.
Should you buy it: naw, I think not. The cost is pretty staggering, the results are merely ordinary, and the finish (when it finally does dry down) has an unpleasant, sticky egg white feel. For quite a bit less per ounce, you can buy BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum or Biologique Recherche’s Lotion P50 PIGM 400, if you prefer an acid cocktail.
Shop: Amazon | Dermstore
Refinity Skin Science Rejuvenating Hydrogel
Size: 2 oz.
Cost: $45.00 + $3.99 tax + free shipping = $48.99
Cost per ounce: $24.50
Packaging: fairly rigid plastic bottle with a flip top. Product tends to dry and get crusty around the dispenser.
Ingredients: Water, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Strontium Nitrate, SD Alcohol 40, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyehtanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 2.8 (tested)
Consistency: gel
Dry down feel: light, unobtrusive gel coating
Smell: pretty strong chemical scent
Performance: I find this lactic gel to be something like a hammer to my skin, causing a significant amount of irritation when it’s applied. It does exfoliate well, but it really leaves it riled up.
Should you buy it: I think you can do better (BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum is similar but much better imo). The fairly low pH and simple alcohol feel irritating, the scent is not pleasant, and it actually costs more per ounce than supposedly expensive Biologique Recherche products. Even the packaging leaves a lot to be desired. Hard pass.
Shop: Dermstore
Sarah Chapman Liquid Facial Resurfacer
Size: 100ml/3.3 oz.
Cost: $49.68 + $3.00 shipping = 52.68 (I bought from FeelUnique)
Cost per ounce: $15.96
Packaging: rigid plastic bottle with a flip top that reveals a slick af pump that dispenses the product when you press it down (like an alcohol dispenser at a doctor’s office). Brilliant.
Ingredients: Water, Phytic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lactic Acid, SD Alcohol 40-B, Propanediol, Sorbitol, Copper PCA, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Algae Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Seed Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-8/SMDI Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Menthoxypropanediol, Menthol, Fragrance, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: not stated
pH: 2.6 (tested)
Consistency: gel
Dry down feel: very sticky gel at first, dries down further to be a less sticky sort of light egg white coating consistency.
Smell: I mostly smell menthol. It’s not unpleasant, just really weird.
Performance: this acid and extract cocktail doesn’t work bad and there’s enough in the formula to soothe skin after application, but the cool sensation upon application — likely due to the menthol — is pretty weird (and irritating) and the formula takes a bit to dry down into something that isn’t horribly sticky. It still ends up being tacky.
Should you buy it: although this product works out to be relatively affordable per ounce, the use of menthol and simple alcohol increase the risk of irritation. I had to transcribe the ingredient list from the box, and as far as I know, the company hasn’t disclosed the acid percentages publicly; some transparency would be fab. The fact that the menthol smell is considerable and the formula dries down to something that’s still kind of tacky detracts from the good qualities of the formula and the excellent packaging. If you want an acid cocktail, I’d go with the still problematic and un-transparent Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 PIGM 400.
Shop: FeelUnique | Net-A-Porter
Silk Naturals 8% AHA Toner
Size: 4 oz.
Cost: $8.95 + $4.81 shipping + $1.10 tax = $14.86
Cost per ounce: $3.72
Packaging: mostly rigid bottle with a flip top. Not recommended for travel. The flip top has a tendency to spray when opened, so keep it away from your eyes.
Ingredients: Distilled Water, Aloe Vera juice, Lactic Acid, Gluconoactone and Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Bicarbonate. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 8%
pH: 3.5 (stated), 3.5 (tested)
Consistency: watery
Dry down feel: almost nothingness from initial dry down.
Smell: slight honey/propolis scent with a faint whiff of chemicals, not strong.
Performance: light exfoliation without the violent purging of deep clogs brought on by a product like the Garden of Wisdom pads.
Should you buy it: the Silk Naturals toner is a perfectly good, responsible lactic acid for a stunningly good price. It doesn’t offer the pricey skin-soothers of a product like Good Genes, but the pH and acid percentage offer solid exfoliation with less irritation. If you like something like Pixi’s Glow Tonic and want that except a little stronger and with lactic acid instead of glycolic, this is the stuff. Given the price, I’m tempted to stock up on this and slather it all over my body.
Shop: Silk Naturals
Sunday Riley Good Genes
Size: 1 oz.
Cost: $105 + $ tax + (free shipping pretty much anywhere)
Cost per ounce: $105
Packaging: frosted glass bottle with a locking pump; not easy to extract the last bits of the product from the bottle
Ingredients: Opuntia Tuna Fruit (Prickly Pear) Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf (Blue Agave) Extract, Cypripedium Pubescens (Lady’s Slipper Orchid) Extract, Opuntia Vulgaris (Cactus) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract & Saccharomyses Cerevisiae (Yeast) Extract, Lactic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Ppg-12/Smdi Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol And Ceteareth20, Glyceryl Stearate And Peg-100 Stearate, Arnica Montana (Flower) Extract, Peg-75 Meadowfoam Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus (Lemongrass) Oil, Triethanolamine, Xantham Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Steareth-20, DMDM Hydantoin. CosDNA analysis.
Percent lactic acid: 5%. I’ve seen some claim the percentage is 40% and that’s absolutely bonkers and incorrect. 40% at a pH of 2.6 would melt your face off, it would not be safe for home use. Sunday Riley’s official Facebook wrote that the actual percentage is about 5%, which becomes like 40% due to the low pH (credit to r/SkincareAddiction for that). Saying that something is like 40% due to a low pH makes no sense either, that’s not how this works, my god. We need to stop this acid escalation. 5% lactic acid at a low 2.6 pH is enough to give you those special tingles and gently melt off some nasty without leaving you fucked up. Why anyone is bringing forty-fucking-percent into the conversation is beyond me. 40% at a high pH would probably be less effective than this formula, urgh.
pH: 2.6 (tested)
Consistency: thin lotion
Dry down feel: light lotion or emulsion finish
Smell: it smells a bit sharp and biting as if it’s going to sting more than it does. There’s certainly a scent (more like 8 competing scents) and it isn’t something I look forward to smelling.
Performance: it truly works to gently exfoliate and smooth my skin while leaving it calm; in some cases, smoothing like that has set off inflammation domino effects that lead to crazy purge cysts as multiple clogged pores become inflamed and merge into a super zit. Not so here.
Should you buy it: if you’ve tried a sample or bottle already and can’t imagine life without it. That said, I think it needs to be viewed as a special occasion overnight facial product rather than a day-in-day-out lactic acid exfoliant. A higher pH level and a higher amount of lactic acid might give you better results over time with less irritation. You can buy the BellEvolve Lac-Luronic Serum for a fraction of the price without settling for a basic formula. That said, if you love Good Genes and are willing to drop the $$$ to keep it in your routine, I can’t blame you; there’s often nothing cheaper than the product you’re not looking to replace.
Get it cheaper: many people wait to buy Good Genes during the Sephora annual sales, but I think you’d be better off buying it from the U.K. I break down the math and savings.
Shop: Amazon | Sephora | Cult Beauty (UK) | Net-A-Porter | Space NK (US) | Barneys | Bloomingdales | Nordstrom | Dermstore
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