Tester feedback: “I like to think that OleHenriksen Glow2Oh Dark Spot Toner and I are in an open relationship. My job keeps me busy testing all sorts of other exfoliating skin-care products. Still, I’ve returned home to this little blue bottle time and time again since its launch five or six years ago,” explains senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen. “How could I not? Even with just one or two uses per week, its AHA-heavy formula is the only one that can satisfy my need for clear, spotless, and blindingly dewy skin.”
Type: chemical | Key ingredients: witch hazel water, glycolic and lactic acid (7%), chamomile extract, sugarcane extract, licorice root extract, lemon extract | Who it’s for: normal to oily skin, acne-prone skin, discoloration-prone skin | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Dullness: Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum
Why it’s worth it: Sofie Pavitt’s Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum is a chef’s-kiss chemical exfoliator—powerful yet gentle, working to brighten, smooth, even, and soothe breakout-prone skin. Its star ingredient, mandelic acid, sweeps away dryness and flakiness, while panthenol and hyaluronic acid nourish and hydrate. Like supercharged water, it’s easygoing enough for daily use, but if your skin trends sensitive, start with twice-a-week usage. Follow with your favorite moisturizer, and if you’re applying it in the A.M., don’t skip the sunscreen.
Tester feedback: “Sofie Pavitt and I go way back (I’ve been a fan of hers since 2018), and I love her skin-care line’s Mandelic Acid Exfoliating & Clearing Serum just as much as her in-studio acne-fighting treatments,” says commerce writer Jennifer Hussein. “The star ingredient dissolves all the microscopic gunk clogging my pores (read: sweat, makeup, and dead skin) without irritating my sensitive skin and is gentle enough for me to use twice a day.”
Type: chemical | Key ingredients: mandelic acid (8%), panthenol, hyaluronic acid | Who it’s for: people who want a daily use product | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Large Pores: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Why it’s worth it: There are skin-care products that live up to the hype, and then there’s Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, which lives well beyond a viral moment. This is partly due to the 2% concentration of salicylic acid, the highest amount in over-the-counter products. “Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid (or BHA) that goes deep into the pores to clear out dirt, oil, and other impurities,” Claire Chang, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, told Allure. “It exfoliates and reduces clogged pores, leading to clearer and brighter skin.” What’s more, antioxidant-rich green tea counters irritation typically experienced with harsh exfoliators.
