Minimalist Glycolic Acid 8% Exfoliating Liquid

Between 8 to 10% glycolic acid is a medium-strength glycolic acid product. These percentages are a good range for an exfoliating product.

Glycolic acid gets rid of the unwanted cells from the surface of the skin. This gives skin a smooth texture.

At the percentage used here, it also can stimulate collagen production to a small extent. Collagen gives skin its strength and protects it from fine lines. At 8%, glycolic acid might not exactly stimulate enough collagen to be classified as an anti-ageing ingredient, but it will at least give skin a good glow.

Glycolic acid is the smallest in its category (alpha hydroxy acids), which means it can penetrate and reach deeper layers of skin more effectively. This makes it more effective than other alpha hydroxy acids, such as lactic acid. Since it gets a bit deeper, it helps get rid of old cells that are stuck a bit deeper.

Since it can penetrate deeper, it can eliminate unwanted cells more effectively than other alpha hydroxy acids, such as lactic acid. If the unwanted cells have extra pigment (dark spots), that also goes away. This way, glycolic acid helps reduce surface-level pigmentation.

But since it gets to the deeper layers, it can also be a bit irritating. At 8%, it is not a high percentage – so it should be okay for most. If you have sensitive skin, do a small patch test on the side of your cheek (close to your ear in a corner) and see if you are okay with it.

There is much scaremongering on the internet about glycolic acid and darker skin tones. People with dark skin tones can absolutely use glycolic acid, but they need to be aware of what can go wrong and take adequate precautions to prevent anything from going wrong. This is too good an ingredient to stop using based on some scaremongering.

Darker skin tones:
Since glycolic acid can get deeper into the skin, it can irritate. It can irritate all skin types. But darker skin types react easily to irritation. The result of this reaction would be pigmentation. So that’s the problem. But if we can control the irritation, we prevent pigmentation. No need to stop using the ingredient.
Start small (8% is good). Do a patch test. If hesitant, even after a good patch-test outcome, use once a week and only when all is okay for a few weeks, and then move to twice a week. Use a good moisturiser after applying this product. A moisturiser with anti-inflammatory ingredients will be helpful. Panthenol, niacinamide, centella asiatica, calendula, licorice extract, oat extract, and ceramides are some examples of good anti-inflammatory ingredients. Use in the nighttime. Make sure you apply sunscreen the next day. Skin will be more prone to damage than normal from exposure to the sun.


It has sodium hyaluronate, which is a humectant. Humectants are water magnets—they hold onto water molecules. Having good humectants in an exfoliating product is helpful. When the exfoliating ingredients strip away the dead unwanted cells from the top layer of the skin, your skin becomes vulnerable to losing the hydration underneath (it can evaporate easily). Humectants hang on to the water molecules and keep them in the skin, thus helping the skin stay hydrated. Glycolic acid is also a humectant. It also binds to water molecules and helps keep the skin hydrated. It also assists in producing certain substances in cells that can attract moisture.


This is a good glycolic acid exfoliating product.