Glycolic acid products, by type

The format you pick largely decides the strength you get: rinse-off cleansers sit at the low end, peel pads and at-home peels at the top. But the label percentage is only part of it. The FDA says the extent of exfoliation depends on the type and concentration of the AHA, its pH and other ingredients (FDA, alpha hydroxy acids), which is why each guide below reads the label percentage next to the brand's published pH and, where there is one, the estimated free acid.

Every product was checked against its label and the brand's own page. We do not test products on our own skin; how we pick.

Label strength by format, on our list

Cleansers3.4% to 10% · median 4.9% · 6 products
Body washes5% to 15% · median 10% · 2 products
Toners3.5% to 10% · median 7% · 6 products
Serums5% to 15% · median 10% · 3 products
Creams & lotions10% to 20% · median 17.5% · 5 products
Peel pads5% to 35% · median 20% · 3 products
At-home peels10% to 50% · median 30% · 5 products

Bar: the range of label percentages in each format. Line: the format median. Computed at build time from the products we list, with the same method as the statistics page.

Rinse-off: cleansers and body washes

Glycolic acid cleansers Label strength on our list: 3.4% to 10%
Gentle daily washes through to deeper-exfoliating ones, ranked by skin type. Contact time is seconds, which is why cleansers are the usual starting point.
Glycolic acid body washes Label strength on our list: 5% to 15%
A daily AHA blend and a keratosis pilaris treatment with a published pH; pick by what your skin is doing.

Leave-on: toners, serums, creams and lotions

Glycolic acid toners Label strength on our list: 3.5% to 10%
The format most people mean by "glycolic toner", ranked by concentration, with free acid estimated where the brand publishes a pH.
Glycolic acid serums Label strength on our list: 5% to 15%
Serums compared by label strength. Only one publishes a pH, so it is the only one with a free-acid range.
Glycolic acid face creams Label strength on our list: 10% to 20%
A daily formula and a medical-grade option, both from Replenix, after checking every ingredient list.
Glycolic acid body lotions Label strength on our list: 10% to 20%
Body lotions compared by label strength, published pH and free acid at that pH; one of them publishes no pH.

Stronger, timed formats: pads and peels

Glycolic acid pads Label strength on our list: 5% to 35%
Pads compared by label strength. Only TOUCH publishes a pH, so free acid is estimated for that pad alone.
At-home glycolic acid peels Label strength on our list: 10% to 50%
Peels compared by label strength and published pH, with what each brand says about who the peel is for.

Brands, side by side

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Read from the label, 7% glycolic acid at a published pH of 3.5–3.9, which puts the estimated free acid at about 3.2% to 4.8%.
The Ordinary vs Minimalist glycolic toners
Two popular toners compared on published specification: concentration, pH, free acid and formula, plus where Pixi fits.

The numbers across every format

Glycolic acid statistics
Concentration ranges and medians by format, pH disclosure, regulatory limits and clinical numbers, computed from the products we list. Free to cite.

How strong is too strong?

The FDA reports the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel's conclusion that consumer products are safe at 10% or less at pH 3.5 or higher, with sun protection (FDA; CIR). DermNet NZ says professional glycolic peels run from 20 to 70% (DermNet NZ), so the strongest formats sold to consumers overlap with professional territory. The percentage guide explains what each strength tier does.

Last reviewed 2026-10-13.