Key Insights

• Gentle Exfoliation: Lactic acid is ideal for sensitive skin types seeking effective exfoliation without irritation.
• Hydration Support: It improves skin texture and tone while enhancing hydration, crucial for maintaining a healthy barrier.
• Dermatologist-Approved: Many lactic acid products are claimed to be dermatologist-approved for gentle use.
• Diverse Applications: Lactic acid is found in various products, including serums, cleansers, and moisturizers, each addressing different skin concerns.

If your skin leans sensitive, reactive, or just plain moody, exfoliation can feel risky. Speaking from experience as someone with acne scars and easily irritated skin, lactic acid has become my go-to for smoothing texture without causing redness or dryness.

Compared with other alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic or mandelic acid, lactic acid is known for being much gentler—making it ideal for sensitive or dry skin types who still want visible results.

One of the reasons lactic acid stands out is that it helps improve skin texture and tone while also supporting hydration, which is key when your barrier needs extra love. And because it’s well tolerated, many brands claim their lactic acid formulas are dermatologist-approved for gentle exfoliation.

The ingredient shows up in just about every type of product—serums, cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and even body treatments—each targeting slightly different concerns. To narrow things down, we rounded up the best skincare options worth trying.

Keep scrolling for our curated picks of the best lactic acid skincare products tested by derms and available to shop below.