I've tried my fair share of acid over the years — skin-care acid, that is — and glycolic acid by far is the one that makes my hyperpigmentation and hormonal, acne-prone skin the giddiest. While others like hyaluronic, lactic, or azelaic acids all have a prominent place in my ever-evolving skin-care routine, glycolic has proven to be, for me at least, the G.O.A.T. So naturally, I was all in on trying this year's Allure Best of Beauty winner, the SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight.
While many skin-care products require a usage commitment of at least a few weeks before seeing their effects, I've been taking notes on how much Allure readers, editors, and some of our favorite dermatologists stan for the rapid difference SkinCeuticals's C E Ferulic serum makes. So I had high hopes of seeing results with the brand's glycolic treatment a lot sooner — and it didn't disappoint.
Before diving into my love for this product, let's talk about what makes the main ingredient so great. Ranella Hirsch, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine, previously told Allure that there's a reason why glycolic is the acid used the most in doctor's-office peels. For starters, it's made up of the smallest molecule of all the acids, which means that it penetrates skin a lot easier, delivering the most drastic results and a number of skin benefits like regenerating collagen, smoothing rough-textured skin, and evening skin tone. The effects are similar to that of some prescription retinoids.