The Best Face Exfoliators

How we chose: we read the exfoliators that 12 of Google’s top guides and four store lists recommend, and what people say about them in 54 Reddit threads. We checked each one against its current US ingredient list: the brand’s, a US retailer’s where the brand’s site could not be read, or the Drug Facts label on DailyMed. Then we compared the claims with the FDA, the AAD, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel and the studies behind them. We did not test them on skin. Our method

The best exfoliator for your face, by skin type and need

• Most people, oily skin, blackheads or clogged pores: Salicylic acid, which works inside pores (Arif 2015): Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.
• Sensitive skin: A PHA, after a patch test: Medik8 Press & Glow.
• Dry skin, or a drugstore pick: Glycolic and lactic acid with ceramides: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment.
• Mature, sun-aged skin: Glycolic acid at night: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight.
• An AHA other than glycolic acid: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA.
• Pads: Lactic and glycolic acid, no drying alcohol: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads.
• A scrub: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, and see are scrubs bad for your skin.
• Korean: An enzyme powder: TONYMOLY I'm Rice.
• A weekly at-home peel: Drunk Elephant Babyfacial, for skin that already takes acids.
• Acne: For a leave-on sold as an acne treatment, with Drug Facts, see the La Roche-Posay Effaclar serum in also considered; for washes, our salicylic acid cleanser and acne face wash picks.
• Dark spots: Our dark spot corrector picks. In darker skin, strong exfoliation can itself cause dark spots (AAD).
• Rosacea: The AAD says to stop exfoliating (AAD).

Best overall: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Best overall

Check price at Amazon: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Salicylic acid (BHA), 4th of 8 ingredients: a 2% BHA by its name, and the only exfoliant on the list. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Salicylic acid
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

• Oily and combination skin
• Blackheads and clogged pores
• A first leave-on exfoliant

Skip it if: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

• You are allergic to salicylates: Paula's Choice says to check with a doctor first
• You already use a prescription retinoid or benzoyl peroxide
• Very dry or easily irritated skin: see the PHA pick

Label facts for Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Exfoliants

Salicylic acid (BHA), 4th of 8 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

2% salicylic acid (BHA)

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Nothing notable

Cruelty-free certified

Yes, Leaping Bunny

Read from Paula's Choice's US website and Dermstore on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

It is the exfoliant the guides we read agree on most: 8 of the 12 pick it. Allure picks it for acne-prone skin (November 2026) and Who What Wear for oily skin (August 2026). Byrdie names it twice, as its best chemical exfoliant (October 2026) and as the best overall in its chemical exfoliator guide (October 2026), and the Strategist calls it its best toner (July 2026). Its list is the shortest of any pick, 8 ingredients. In an early study, salicylic acid thinned the dead outer layer of the skin without changing the living skin below it (Davies 1976). It also works inside pores (Arif 2015), which is why the AAD says it works best on blackheads and whiteheads.

Paula's Choice states a pH of 3.2 to 3.8 and says to start every other day, then go up to twice a day if your skin takes it, with sunscreen by day. It is sold as a cosmetic, with no Drug Facts box and no acne claim: a salicylic acid product that claims to treat acne is an over-the-counter (OTC) drug (21 CFR 333). In a Reddit thread about it alone, 43 of the 64 people who gave a view liked it, and the most common complaint, from 7 people, was over-exfoliation, mostly after daily use (r/SkincareAddiction, 2024). In a thread warning of counterfeits, 9 people reported fakes bought on eBay, on Amazon and from Amazon returns stores (r/SkincareAddiction, 2023).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

• A cosmetic, not an OTC acne drug: no Drug Facts box and no acne claim.
• Counterfeits bought on eBay, on Amazon and from returns stores are reported on Reddit: check that the seller is Paula's Choice.
• Over-exfoliation, mostly from daily use, was the top complaint in a Reddit thread about it.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Check price at Amazon: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ingredients (full list of 8, exfoliants marked)

Water (Aqua), Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

As printed on Paula's Choice's US website and Dermstore on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best for sensitive skin: Medik8 Press & Glow

Best for sensitive skin

Check price at Amazon: Medik8 Press & Glow (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Gluconolactone, a PHA, second of 13 ingredients (Medik8 states 5.5% gluconolactone). No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Gluconolactone
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Medik8 Press & Glow

• Sensitive or reactive skin, after a patch test
• Dry skin
• Morning and evening, once your skin takes it

Skip it if: Medik8 Press & Glow

• Rosacea: the AAD says to stop exfoliating
• You already use another acid toner: Medik8 says one per routine
• Stubborn blackheads, which a BHA suits better

Label facts for Medik8 Press & Glow

Exfoliants

Gluconolactone (PHA), 2nd of 13 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

5.5% gluconolactone (Medik8 states it)

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin and aloe

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from Medik8's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on November 3, 2026.

Why we picked it: Medik8 Press & Glow

PHAs are the acids sold for sensitive skin, and the evidence we found for that comes from one company. In a 12-week study run by NeoStrata, which makes PHA and AHA products, a gluconolactone regimen stung and burned less than a glycolic acid regimen, while both improved sun-aged skin and the glycolic acid regimen did slightly better on two measures (Edison 2004). A review written with NeoStrata researchers calls PHAs suited to sensitive skin (Grimes 2004). Allure names this toner the best overall for sensitive skin (February 2026), and Who What Wear its best for dry skin (August 2026).

Medik8 asks for a patch test at least 24 hours before first use, then once a day, building to twice, and only one acid toner in a routine. Its US page gives no sun advice, but the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, a safety panel funded by the cosmetics industry’s trade association, notes that any exfoliant can let more UV reach the skin below (CIR), so wear sunscreen anyway. For a lower strength, The INKEY List states 3% PHA in its PHA Toner (INKEY), Byrdie’s pick for sensitive skin (October 2026).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Medik8 Press & Glow

• No pH stated.
• No sun advice on Medik8's US page.
• The studies that call PHAs gentler were run with NeoStrata, a PHA maker.

Medik8 Press & Glow

Check price at Amazon: Medik8 Press & Glow (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Medik8 Press & Glow ingredients (full list of 13, exfoliants marked)

Water, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

As printed on Medik8's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best drugstore exfoliator for dry skin: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

Best drugstore exfoliator for dry skin

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Glycolic acid (6th) and lactic acid (7th) of 29 ingredients, a 5% blend as CeraVe states it, with three ceramides, cholesterol and sodium hyaluronate. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Glycolic acid + 1 more
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

• Dry or dehydrated skin
• A gentle nightly AHA
• A drugstore pick

Skip it if: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

• You want to exfoliate twice a day: CeraVe says once a day
• Very oily skin: its base is an emulsion, with cetearyl ethylhexanoate 3rd and dimethicone 5th
• You avoid isopropyl myristate (23rd on the list)

Label facts for CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

Exfoliants

Glycolic acid (AHA, 6th) and lactic acid (AHA, 7th) of 29 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

5% glycolic and lactic acid blend (CeraVe states it)

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Ceramides, glycerin, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and licorice

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from the US pack panel on CeraVe's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

The most barrier support of any pick, and the only one with ceramides: glycerin is second on the list, and three ceramides, cholesterol, sodium hyaluronate and phytosphingosine sit around the two acids. The AAD lists lactic acid among the moisturizer ingredients that help dry skin. The Strategist names it its less expensive treatment (July 2026).

CeraVe says to use it at night after cleansing, or in the morning, but only once a day, and prints the FDA’s Sunburn Alert word for word. It does not say how the 5% splits between the two acids. CeraVe calls it a lightweight serum, but its base is an emulsion, with cetearyl ethylhexanoate 3rd and dimethicone 5th on the list, not a water-thin liquid like the toners.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

• The 5% is CeraVe's figure for the blend; the split between the acids is not given.
• Isopropyl myristate (23rd), an emollient ester, for those who avoid it.

CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment

Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)

CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment ingredients (full list of 29, exfoliants marked)

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid

As printed on the US pack panel on CeraVe's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best for mature skin: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

Best for mature skin

Glycolic acid second of 24 ingredients, at a 10% free acid value printed on the tube, with phytic acid (9th) and salicylic acid (20th). No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Glycolic acid + 1 more
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

• Mature, sun-aged skin
• Rough texture and dullness
• Skin that already takes an acid well

Skip it if: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

• You use retinol the same night: SkinCeuticals says alternate nights
• Sensitive or rosacea-prone skin
• You want an Amazon link: it is not sold there

Label facts for SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

Exfoliants

Glycolic acid (AHA, 2nd) and salicylic acid (BHA, 20th) of 24 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

10% glycolic acid (free acid value, printed on the tube)

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin and vitamin E

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from Dermstore's US listing on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

AHAs have research on sun-aged skin, though it is thin, and the deepest changes came at stronger doses than this cream. A 25% AHA lotion thickened sun-aged forearm skin over about six months in a pilot co-authored by NeoStrata’s founders (Ditre 1996; NeoStrata). In a lactic acid study, 12% twice a day for three months also changed the deeper layer of the skin, the dermis, while 5% gave similar visible and outer-layer changes without it (Smith 1996). The AAD says anti-aging products give modest results.

SkinCeuticals’ directions, as Dermstore prints them: every other evening for the first week, then every evening, and with retinol, alternate nights. Its 8-week claim comes from its own study of 52 women aged 35 to 64. The Strategist names it its best treatment (July 2026) and Who What Wear its best chemical exfoliant (August 2026). “Free acid value” is SkinCeuticals’ own measure; it does not tell you how much glycolic acid the tube holds in all.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight

• No pH stated.
• Our list is Dermstore's: SkinCeuticals' US page did not show its full list.
• Not sold on Amazon.

SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight ingredients (full list of 24, exfoliants marked)

Aqua/Water, Glycolic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Phytic Acid, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Nylon-12, Poly-glyceryl-4 Isostearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Jojoba Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera/Sunflower Seed Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera/Accia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

As printed on Dermstore's US listing on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best mandelic acid serum: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

Best mandelic acid serum

Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Mandelic acid, 10% in the name, third of 13 ingredients, after propanediol and water; The Ordinary states a pH of 3.5 to 4.5. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Mandelic acid
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

• Trying an AHA other than glycolic acid
• Uneven texture
• Once a day, in the evening

Skip it if: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

• Sensitive, peeling or compromised skin: The Ordinary's own warning
• You want acne evidence: mandelic acid's trials are mostly in-office peels
• You use another AHA the same night

Label facts for The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

Exfoliants

Mandelic acid (AHA), 3rd of 13 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

10% mandelic acid

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin and hyaluronic acid

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from The Ordinary's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

Brands sell mandelic acid as the gentle AHA, but its evidence is mostly in-office peels: in 50 people with mild to moderate acne, six 45% mandelic acid peels did about as well as 30% salicylic acid peels, with fewer side effects (Dayal 2020). We found no trial of a 10% serum. The list is short, 13 ingredients, with glycerin fourth and a crosslinked hyaluronic acid.

The Ordinary says to use it once a day, ideally in the evening, not on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin, and to patch test first, and it prints the FDA’s Sunburn Alert word for word. On Reddit, all 6 people who named it were positive, among them the poster of a thread for people who cannot tolerate glycolic acid (r/30PlusSkinCare, 2023; r/AsianBeauty, 2023).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

• The Ordinary states a pH range, 3.5 to 4.5, not one number.
• The label asks that skin contact be “of limited frequency or duration”, yet the directions say once a day.

The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA

Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA (paid link, opens in a new tab)

The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA ingredients (full list of 13, exfoliants marked)

Propanediol, Aqua (Water), Mandelic Acid, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

As printed on The Ordinary's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best exfoliating pads: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

Best exfoliating pads

Check price at Amazon: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Lactic acid (4th) and glycolic acid (5th) of 17 ingredients, after water, aloe and cucumber water; no strength stated. No added fragrance and no drying alcohol, but lemon peel extract (8th) and mandarin orange fruit extract (9th) are listed.

• Lactic acid + 1 more
• Chemical
• Scented extracts
• No drying alcohol

Good for: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

• Dry, combination, oily or sensitive skin (First Aid Beauty's list)
• No-rinse, swipe-and-go exfoliating
• Travel

Skip it if: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

• Citrus extracts bother you
• You want a stated acid strength
• Rosacea: the AAD says to stop exfoliating

Label facts for First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

Exfoliants

Lactic acid (AHA, 4th) and glycolic acid (AHA, 5th) of 17 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

Not stated in the product name

Added fragrance

None listed, but the label includes citrus limon peel extract

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, hyaluronic acid and aloe

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from First Aid Beauty's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on November 3, 2026.

Why we picked it: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

Of the pads we read, these list the least scent and no alcohol: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel lists alcohol denat. 2nd and fragrance in its first step, and Medicube Zero Pore Pads list alcohol denat. 5th and seven essential oils (see also considered). Four of the guides we read pick these pads, among them Byrdie for beginners (October 2026) and Who What Wear as its gentle pick, which notes that some shoppers find the reformulated pads less effective (August 2026).

First Aid Beauty says to swipe 1 to 2 times a day and lists dry, combination, oily and sensitive skin. It states no acid strength or pH, and we found no sun warning on its US page, though these are a daily AHA: wear sunscreen (FDA). The Healthy picked them for rosacea in 2021, before the reformulation (The Healthy), but the AAD says to stop exfoliating if you have rosacea.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

• No acid strength or pH stated.
• No sun warning on the US page, though it is a daily AHA.
• Lemon peel extract (8th) and mandarin orange fruit extract (9th), both citrus extracts.

First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads

Check price at Amazon: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads (paid link, opens in a new tab)

First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads ingredients (full list of 17, exfoliants marked)

Aqua/Water/Eau, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Water, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide

As printed on First Aid Beauty's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best face scrub: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Best face scrub

Check price at Amazon: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Microcrystalline cellulose (abrasive, 1st), papain (enzyme, 11th) and salicylic acid (BHA, 12th) of 28 ingredients. No added fragrance and no drying alcohol, but 4-terpineol (22nd), grapefruit peel oil (23rd) and limonene (26th) are listed.

• Microcrystalline cellulose + 2 more
• Chemical, enzyme and physical
• Scented extracts
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

• A daily scrub with no nut shells
• Oily or thicker skin, which the AAD says can take a scrub
• Dull skin

Skip it if: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

• You use prescribed acne or vitamin A-derived exfoliants: Dermalogica says not with them
• Scent-sensitive skin: grapefruit peel oil and limonene
• Sunburned, irritated or freshly waxed skin

Label facts for Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Exfoliants

Microcrystalline cellulose (abrasive, 1st), papain (enzyme, 11th) and salicylic acid (BHA, 12th) of 28 ingredients

Type

Chemical, enzyme and physical

Strength

Not stated in the product name

Added fragrance

None listed, but the label includes citrus paradisi peel oil and limonene

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Allantoin, oat, vitamin E, licorice and tea leaf

Cruelty-free certified

Yes, Leaping Bunny

Read from Dermalogica's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on November 3, 2026.

Why we picked it: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

The rinse-off exfoliant the guides we read pick most, 5 of the 12, among them Byrdie (October 2026), the Strategist as its best scrub (July 2026), Who What Wear (August 2026) and Fortune (2026). On Reddit, 31 of the 35 people who named it liked it, though 18 of the 35 came from one thread asking for a cheaper version, and price was the downside raised most (r/SkincareAddiction, 2023; r/30PlusSkinCare, 2022).

It scrubs with cellulose, not nut shells, and adds papain, an enzyme, and a little salicylic acid, with colloidal oatmeal 4th and allantoin 10th. Dermalogica says once a day after cleansing, every other day to start or for sensitive skin, a one-minute massage, then rinse, with SPF by day. Its copy says it is rich in AHAs, but no AHA is on its list. The AAD says oily or thicker skin can take mechanical exfoliation, while dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin may find it too irritating.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

• 4-terpineol, grapefruit peel oil and limonene are listed.
• Dermalogica's copy says “rich in AHAs”, but no AHA is on the list.
• Price was the downside Reddit raised most.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Check price at Amazon: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant ingredients (full list of 28, exfoliants marked)

Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Starch, Coconut Acid, Allantoin, Papain, Salicylic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, PCA, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Isethionate, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, 4-Terpineol, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Water/Aqua/Eau, Limonene, Citric Acid, Tocopherol

As printed on Dermalogica's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best Korean exfoliator: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

Best Korean exfoliator

Check price at Amazon: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Papain (enzyme, 7th), rice powder (abrasive, 8th) and protease (enzyme, 9th) of 11 ingredients, in a corn starch base. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Papain + 2 more
• Enzyme and physical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

• Combination, oily, acne-prone or sensitive skin (TONYMOLY's list)
• A powder that foams into a cleanser
• The most named cheaper Microfoliant stand-in in a Reddit thread

Skip it if: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

• You want a leave-on exfoliant
• You want a stated pH: TONYMOLY says only “low pH”

Label facts for TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

Exfoliants

Papain (enzyme, 7th), rice powder (abrasive, 8th) and protease (enzyme, 9th) of 11 ingredients

Type

Enzyme and physical

Strength

Not stated in the product name

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Allantoin

Cruelty-free certified

No

Read from TONYMOLY's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on November 3, 2026.

Why we picked it: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

In a Reddit thread asking for a cheaper Microfoliant, it was the stand-in named most (7 people, one more than Good Molecules’ powder), and across the threads we read, all 14 people who named it were positive (r/SkincareAddiction, 2023; r/AsianBeauty, 2023). The Strategist names it its less expensive scrub (July 2026). Its list is shorter than the Microfoliant’s, 11 ingredients against 28, with no water: it is a powder you foam in wet hands.

TONYMOLY says to foam a quarter-sized amount with water, massage for 2 to 3 minutes and rinse, and calls it fragrance free and low pH, with no number. It states no strength and no frequency. The bottle says non-abrasive, but rice powder is a fine grain, so our card counts it as a scrub. Enzyme exfoliants have little research behind them: a review found only 11 articles and few clinical trials, and asks for more human studies (Trevisol 2022).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

• No pH number, strength or frequency stated.
• A 2 to 3 minute massage, where the AAD suggests about 30 seconds.
• Sold as non-abrasive, but rice powder is a fine grain.

TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser

Check price at Amazon: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser (paid link, opens in a new tab)

TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser ingredients (full list of 11, exfoliants marked)

Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, Allantoin, Maltodextrin, Papain (Papaya Extract), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder, Protease, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Butylene Glycol

As printed on TONYMOLY's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Best at-home peel: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

Best at-home peel

Check price at Amazon: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Glycolic acid (2nd), salicylic acid (8th), tartaric acid (9th) and lactic acid (29th) of 41 ingredients: a 25% AHA blend and 2% salicylic acid at pH 3.5, as Drunk Elephant states it. No fragrance and no drying alcohol.

• Glycolic acid + 3 more
• Chemical
• No added fragrance
• No drying alcohol

Good for: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

• Experienced acid users
• Once-a-week exfoliating for texture and clogged pores
• Oily or thicker skin, which the AAD says can take stronger exfoliation

Skip it if: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

• Sensitive, rosacea-prone or broken skin
• A darker skin tone, or skin that darkens after acne, burns or bites: the AAD advises against strong exfoliation
• You use a retinoid or another acid in the same days

Label facts for Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

Exfoliants

Glycolic acid (AHA, 2nd), salicylic acid (BHA, 8th), tartaric acid (AHA, 9th) and lactic acid (AHA, 29th) of 41 ingredients

Type

Chemical

Strength

25% AHA blend, 2% salicylic acid (Drunk Elephant states it)

Added fragrance

None listed

Drying alcohol

None listed

Supporting

Glycerin, allantoin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, licorice and aloe

Cruelty-free certified

Yes, Leaping Bunny

Read from Drunk Elephant's US website on November 3, 2026. Labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order, so a position is not a percentage. Formulas change; check your box. Cruelty-free certification: the Leaping Bunny and Cruelty Free International directories on October 10, 2026.

Why we picked it: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

A weekly peel whose strength Drunk Elephant states, though not how the 25% AHA blend splits between its glycolic, tartaric and lactic acid. Drunk Elephant says to apply it once a week to clean, dry skin for up to 20 minutes, 10 to start, then rinse; to test a small area first if your skin is sensitive; and to wear sunscreen daily while using it and for a week after. That sun line is its own, shorter wording, not the FDA’s Sunburn Alert (FDA). Byrdie names it its best mask (October 2026).

A 25% AHA blend is well above the 10% the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel found safe for glycolic and lactic acid in consumer products; its 30% conclusion covers brief salon use, rinsed off, by trained professionals, and no CIR conclusion covers a consumer product this strong (CIR). Drunk Elephant’s own limit is once a week, so never make it a daily step. The list also has aloe 10th, sodium PCA 24th, allantoin 25th and dipotassium glycyrrhizate 26th, from licorice.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

• A 25% AHA blend is above the CIR panel's 10% consumer level.
• Its sun line is Drunk Elephant's own, shorter wording, not the FDA's Sunburn Alert.
• Reformulated: older stock may carry a different list.

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask

Check price at Amazon: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask ingredients (full list of 41, exfoliants marked)

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Salicylic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract, Cicer Arietinum Seed Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phytosphingosine, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)

As printed on Drunk Elephant's US website on November 3, 2026. The list printed on your box is the one that counts.

Every pick, side by side

What each US label shows, with each brand's directions for use (no pick lists added fragrance or drying alcohol)

Pick	Exfoliants and list position	Type	Stated strength	Added fragrance	Use (brand's directions)	Where to buy
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantBest overall	salicylic acid (BHA, 4th of 8)	Chemical	2% salicylic acid (BHA)	None listed	Leave-on. Every other day to start, then up to twice a day	Check price at Amazon: Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Medik8 Press & GlowBest for sensitive skin	gluconolactone (PHA, 2nd of 13)	Chemical	5.5% gluconolactone (Medik8 states it)	None listed	Leave-on. Once a day at first, then up to twice a day	Check price at Amazon: Medik8 Press & Glow (paid link, opens in a new tab)
CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating TreatmentBest drugstore exfoliator for dry skin	glycolic acid (AHA, 6th of 29), lactic acid (AHA, 7th of 29)	Chemical	5% glycolic and lactic acid blend (CeraVe states it)	None listed	Leave-on. Once a day, at night	Check price at Amazon: CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)
SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew OvernightBest for mature skin	glycolic acid (AHA, 2nd of 24), salicylic acid (BHA, 20th of 24)	Chemical	10% glycolic acid (free acid value, printed on the tube)	None listed	Leave-on. Every other night for a week, then nightly	No store link
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HABest mandelic acid serum	mandelic acid (AHA, 3rd of 13)	Chemical	10% mandelic acid	None listed	Leave-on. Once a day, ideally in the evening	Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA (paid link, opens in a new tab)
First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance PadsBest exfoliating pads	lactic acid (AHA, 4th of 17), glycolic acid (AHA, 5th of 17)	Chemical	Not stated	No, but scented ingredients	Leave-on pad. 1 to 2 times a day	Check price at Amazon: First Aid Beauty Brighten + Glow Facial Radiance Pads (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Dermalogica Daily MicrofoliantBest face scrub	microcrystalline cellulose (abrasive, 1st of 28), papain (enzyme, 11th of 28), salicylic acid (BHA, 12th of 28)	Chemical, enzyme and physical	Not stated	No, but scented ingredients	Rinse-off. Once a day; every other day to start	Check price at Amazon: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (paid link, opens in a new tab)
TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder CleanserBest Korean exfoliator	papain (enzyme, 7th of 11), rice powder (abrasive, 8th of 11), protease (enzyme, 9th of 11)	Enzyme and physical	Not stated	None listed	Rinse-off cleanser. No frequency stated	Check price at Amazon: TONYMOLY I'm Rice Exfoliating Enzyme Powder Cleanser (paid link, opens in a new tab)
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA MaskBest at-home peel	glycolic acid (AHA, 2nd of 41), salicylic acid (BHA, 8th of 41), tartaric acid (AHA, 9th of 41), lactic acid (AHA, 29th of 41)	Chemical	25% AHA blend, 2% salicylic acid (Drunk Elephant states it)	None listed	Rinse-off mask. Once a week, 10 to 20 minutes	Check price at Amazon: Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial AHA + BHA Mask (paid link, opens in a new tab)

Chemical, physical or enzyme: what an exfoliator does

Exfoliating removes dead cells from the skin’s surface, either mechanically, with a brush, pad, sponge or scrub, or chemically, with acids such as AHAs and BHAs (AAD). Acids loosen what holds dead cells together: a week of salicylic acid left less of the dead outer layer than the plain base (Davies 1976), and it loosens the junctions between cells, which unclogs pores (Arif 2015). Enzymes such as papain and bromelain digest protein, but a review found only 11 articles and few clinical trials on them (Trevisol 2022).

Our cards name each exfoliant on the list with its type (AHA, BHA, PHA, enzyme or abrasive) and its place, and the Type row says chemical, physical, enzyme or a mix. They leave out ingredients that brands sometimes count, such as phytic acid in SkinCeuticals’ cream, willow bark water in COSRX’s liquid, rice bran in the Microfoliant and sugar in TULA’s scrub; we name those in words. In Avina’s catalog, 759 of the 1,116 face exfoliators list an acid, 82 an enzyme and 270 a scrub grain near the top of the list, and 101 list both an acid and a grain.

AHA vs BHA vs PHA: which acid for your skin

• BHA (beta hydroxy acid), for oily skin, blackheads and clogged pores. Salicylic acid is the BHA cosmetics use most, though chemically it is not a true BHA (FDA). It works inside pores (Arif 2015), and the AAD says it works best on whiteheads and blackheads (AAD). Our pick: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. COSRX’s “BHA” is betaine salicylate, a different ingredient (Ulta).
• AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), for dull, rough or sun-aged skin. Glycolic and lactic acid are the AHAs cosmetics use most (FDA). The studies on sun-aged skin are few, and the deeper changes came at more than shelf strength: a 25% AHA lotion on sun-aged forearms (Ditre 1996, co-authored by NeoStrata’s founders) and 12% lactic acid, where 5% changed only the outer layer (Smith 1996). Our picks: SkinCeuticals, CeraVe and, once a week, the Babyfacial. Mandelic acid is an AHA too, with trials mostly of in-office peels (Dayal 2020): The Ordinary’s.
• PHAs (polyhydroxy acids), for sensitive skin. Gluconolactone and lactobionic acid are PHAs; a gluconolactone regimen stung and burned less than a glycolic acid one in a study run by NeoStrata, a PHA maker (Edison 2004; Grimes 2004). Our pick: Medik8 Press & Glow.

AHAs can raise the skin’s sensitivity to the sun; the FDA’s numbers come from glycolic acid (see acids and the sun). Salicylic acid does not do that by itself, but the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel notes that any exfoliant can let more UV reach the skin below (CIR). For acne, salicylic acid’s evidence is thinner than its name: the AAD’s 2024 guideline gives it only a conditional recommendation, resting on a single trial (Reynolds 2024). A Cochrane review rated all of the evidence on it, and most of the evidence on the other topical acne ingredients it covered, low or very low certainty (Liu 2020).

How often should you exfoliate your face?

There is no set number. The AAD says it depends on your skin type and the method: the more aggressive the exfoliation, the less often you need it, and over-exfoliating can leave skin red and irritated (AAD). Ashlyn Yanke, an aesthetician quoted by Cleveland Clinic, suggests once or twice a week for the face, more for oily skin and less for sensitive or dry skin, one type of exfoliant at a time, with no evidence given for the number (Cleveland Clinic).

Follow the label: our picks’ directions run from up to twice a day (Paula’s Choice, Medik8, First Aid Beauty) to once a week (the Babyfacial), as the Use column shows. Several say to start slower: Paula’s Choice every other day (Paula's Choice), Dermalogica every other day if you are new to it or sensitive (Dermalogica), SkinCeuticals every other night for the first week (Dermstore). The only frequency in a US rule is for leave-on OTC acne drugs, salicylic acid among them: a thin layer one to three times a day, starting with once a day, and less often if dryness or peeling bothers you (21 CFR 333; an Effaclar label). If your skin barrier is already damaged, Reddit commenters in one thread told the poster to fix it before using any acid (r/AsianBeauty, 2026): community advice, not a study.

Exfoliating acids and the sun: the FDA’s Sunburn Alert

In the FDA’s studies, after four weeks of an AHA cream, volunteers’ sensitivity to UV reddening rose 18% and their sensitivity to UV damage to skin cells doubled, on average, with big differences between people; a week after stopping, both were gone (FDA). The study behind those numbers put 10% glycolic acid at pH 3.5 on the backs of 29 white adults, with reddening and damaged-cell counts measured in 16 of them (Kaidbey 2003): it did not test faces, darker skin or other AHAs.

So the FDA asks AHA products to carry a Sunburn Alert: use sunscreen, wear protective clothing and limit sun while using the product and for a week afterward. It is a recommendation, not a legal requirement (FDA). Five of our picks list an AHA, and they handle it differently. CeraVe and The Ordinary print the alert word for word (CeraVe; The Ordinary). SkinCeuticals’ directions carry its wording without the heading (Dermstore). Drunk Elephant prints its own, shorter line (Drunk Elephant). We found no sun warning on First Aid Beauty’s US page for its daily pads (First Aid Beauty). For a BHA, the FDA says to use sun protection too (FDA).

How strong is too strong? Stated strengths, pH and at-home peels

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel is a safety panel funded by the cosmetics industry’s trade association. It found glycolic and lactic acid safe in consumer cosmetics at 10% or less and a pH of 3.5 or higher, with sun protection in the formula or the directions. It allows up to 30% only in brief, rinse-off salon use by trained professionals (CIR). The FDA restates the consumer limits (FDA). It logged 114 reports of reactions to AHA products from 1992 to early 2004, burning the most common (45), and says the more serious reactions appear to come most often from the products that exfoliate the most, such as skin peelers (FDA).

The strongest label we read, The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, lists glycolic acid first, ahead of water. The Ordinary counts 32% acid in all and limits it to experienced acid users (The Ordinary). Our at-home peel pick, the Babyfacial, is stated at a 25% AHA blend, also above the 10% line, so follow Drunk Elephant’s once-a-week limit.

Brands state strength in different ways: a percentage in the name (Paula’s Choice, The Ordinary), a figure on their own page (Medik8, CeraVe, Drunk Elephant), or a “free acid value” printed on the tube (SkinCeuticals), which is its own measure. Three of our picks state none: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and TONYMOLY I'm Rice.

Are face scrubs bad for your skin?

The usual charge is that scrubs leave “micro-tears”. We found no published study that measured them. The closest controlled data is not a face study: in 30 volunteers, skin washed four times a day for three weeks with a workplace hand cleaner containing walnut shell powder lost more water and grew redder than skin washed with the same cleaner holding castor wax beads; the water-loss difference was significant in the 15 with atopic skin (Mahler 2010). A class action that said St. Ives Apricot Scrub’s walnut shell powder caused micro-tears ended in 2018 without proof either way. The plaintiffs’ expert had studied 15 people for two weeks, too short to show long-term effects, the court said, and the plaintiffs had not shown a safety hazard (National Law Review).

The AAD’s advice is about skin type: oily or thicker skin can take mechanical exfoliation, while dry, sensitive or acne-prone skin may find it too irritating; be gentle, with small circles for about 30 seconds (AAD). With acne, it says scrubbing can make acne worse (AAD), and that blackheads are not dirt, so do not scrub them (AAD). Plastic microbeads are banned in rinse-off cosmetics: none made from July 1, 2017 and none sold from July 1, 2018 (Public Law 114-114; FDA). Natural grains are not covered.

The grit on the labels we read: microcrystalline cellulose in the Microfoliant (1st), rice powder in I’m Rice (8th), sugar in TULA’s scrub (sucrose, first), silica in ExfoliKate (3rd), which Kate Somerville says “acts like a natural bead” (Kate Somerville), and walnut shell powder, third on Acure’s list (Acure). Scrubs are also where the scent is: 58% of the face scrubs in our catalog list added fragrance.

Over-exfoliated skin: the signs, and what to do

Red, irritated skin is the sign the AAD names (AAD); Yanke adds cracked skin (Cleveland Clinic). Among the reactions the FDA logged for AHA products were burning, rash, swelling, skin peeling and itching (FDA). On Reddit, over-exfoliation, mostly from daily use, was the most common complaint in a thread about the Paula’s Choice BHA (r/SkincareAddiction, 2024).

What to do: stop the exfoliant, moisturize (the AAD says to moisturize right after exfoliating anyway, since it can dry skin: AAD), and wear sunscreen. If a BHA product irritates or stings for long, the FDA says to stop and see a doctor (FDA); The Ordinary and Drunk Elephant print the same advice on their pages.

Exfoliating with retinol, other retinoids, benzoyl peroxide or an acne drug

The AAD says to check what you already use: prescription retinoids, retinol and benzoyl peroxide can make skin more sensitive or peel, and exfoliating on top of them can worsen dryness or even cause breakouts (AAD). The picks’ brands say the same in their own words: SkinCeuticals says to alternate nights with retinol (Dermstore), Dermalogica says not to use the Microfoliant with prescribed acne or vitamin A-derived exfoliants (Dermalogica), and Medik8 recommends one acid per routine (Medik8). An OTC acne drug used with another topical acne drug is more likely to irritate, its required warning says (21 CFR 333). Our guide to mixing ingredients and retinol picks cover the retinoid side.

Some exfoliants put a retinoid in the same package. No pick does, but two in our also-considered list do: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, with retinol in step two, and ExfoliKate, with retinyl palmitate (30th of 38). On Reddit, in a thread on whether tretinoin users still need an exfoliant, one commenter put the limit at two or three times a week (r/30PlusSkinCare, 2024).

When not to exfoliate

• Rosacea. The AAD says that if you exfoliate, stop, and lists glycolic acid, lactic acid, alcohol and fragrance among the ingredients to avoid (AAD).
• Darker skin, or skin that darkens after acne, burns or bites. Avoid strong chemical or mechanical exfoliation, which can cause dark spots (AAD); irritation from skin products is one of the triggers (AAD). To fade spots, see our dark spot corrector picks.
• Open cuts, wounds or sunburn. Never exfoliate over them (AAD).
• Acne. The AAD’s acne tips say to avoid astringents, toners and exfoliants, which can dry skin and make acne look worse (AAD), though it does suggest salicylic acid for whiteheads and blackheads (AAD): choose one product for it, such as the Paula’s Choice BHA, not several.
• Sensitive skin, unless you go gentle. The AAD suggests a washcloth and a mild chemical exfoliant (AAD); test a new acid product on a small area first, as the FDA advises for AHAs and BHAs (FDA).

Exfoliating face washes

A salicylic acid wash that claims to treat acne is an OTC acne drug, with a Drug Facts box (21 CFR 333; FDA). We compare those by their Drug Facts in our salicylic acid cleanser and acne face wash picks. For a gentle daily wash rather than an acne wash, the salicylic acid cleanser guide picks CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser. Of the picks here, only TONYMOLY I'm Rice is itself a cleanser, a powder that foams in wet hands (TONYMOLY).

Korean exfoliators

Three of the Korean exfoliators we read are sold widely in the US, in three forms. An enzyme powder: TONYMOLY I'm Rice, our pick, with papain 7th and protease 9th on its list. A BHA liquid: COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, whose BHA is betaine salicylate (3rd) in a base of willow bark water (first), not salicylic acid (Ulta). And acid pads: Medicube Zero Pore Pads, with alcohol denat. 5th and seven essential oils on the list (Medicube). On Reddit, I’m Rice (14 people, all positive) and the COSRX liquid (15 people, 11 positive) were the Korean exfoliants named most (r/SkincareAddiction, 2023; r/AsianBeauty, 2023; r/AsianBeauty, 2024).

How to exfoliate your face

1. One exfoliant at a time. Medik8 says one acid per routine (Medik8), and Yanke, the aesthetician Cleveland Clinic quotes, says not a scrub after an acid (Cleveland Clinic).
2. Patch test first, on a small area, as the FDA advises for AHAs and BHAs (FDA); Medik8 asks for 24 hours, and Drunk Elephant asks sensitive skin to test first.
3. Leave-ons go on clean skin after cleansing (Paula's Choice; CeraVe). The powders go on with water, then rinse (Dermalogica; TONYMOLY); the Babyfacial goes on dry skin (Drunk Elephant).
4. Be gentle: small circles for about 30 seconds, then rinse with lukewarm water (AAD).
5. Moisturize right after, since exfoliating can dry the skin (AAD).
6. Sunscreen every morning, and for a week after you stop an AHA (FDA). See our sunscreen picks for sensitive skin.
7. Stop if irritation or stinging lasts (FDA); over-exfoliating can leave skin red and irritated (AAD).

What to check on an exfoliator label: eight things

Cosmetic labels list ingredients by amount down to 1%, then in any order (21 CFR 701.3); our guide to reading an ingredient list explains the rest.

• Which exfoliant, and how high. An acid, an enzyme or a grain near the top. In our catalog, 759 of the 1,116 face exfoliators list an acid, 82 an enzyme and 270 a scrub grain near the top of the list.
• A stated strength and pH. For glycolic and lactic acid, the CIR panel’s line is 10% or less at pH 3.5 or higher (CIR): a higher percentage or a lower pH is past it. A “free acid value” is SkinCeuticals’ own measure, not a total.
• Added fragrance and scented oils. 35% of the exfoliators in our catalog list added fragrance, and 58% of the scrubs; acid exfoliants other than washes and scrubs list it less often than the rest of the catalog (24% against 32%). “Fragrance” on a list can stand for many ingredients (FDA).
• Drying alcohol near the top. 13% of the acid exfoliants other than washes and scrubs list it in the first five. “Alcohol” alone means ethyl alcohol; fatty alcohols such as cetearyl alcohol are different (FDA). Three in also considered: Dr. Dennis Gross 2nd, the Effaclar serum (the second inactive ingredient) and Medicube 5th.
• A Sunburn Alert on an AHA. The FDA asks AHA products to print one (FDA); if yours does not, follow it anyway.
• Drug Facts, or not. Salicylic acid at 0.5 to 2% with an acne claim is an OTC drug with a Drug Facts box (21 CFR 333; FDA). The Effaclar serum is one; the Paula’s Choice BHA is not.
• A retinoid in the same product. Retinol or a retinyl ester on an exfoliant’s list means two strong steps in one (see with a retinoid).
• Plastic grit. Plastic microbeads are banned in rinse-off cosmetics (Microbead-Free Waters Act); a rinse-off scrub sold in the US should use a non-plastic grain, such as cellulose, sugar, rice, a seed or shell powder, or silica.

Where the guides and the labels disagree

None of the guides we read prints the full ingredient list. Set against the labels:

• Allure marks Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel fragrance-free, describes its second step as green tea and adenosine, and says it suits even sensitive skin (November 2026). The brand’s US list has alcohol denat. 2nd and fragrance 22nd, both in step one, and retinol, fourth in step two, and the brand sells it for oily, normal or combination skin (Dr. Dennis Gross).
• Byrdie says the Paula’s Choice BHA has salicylic acid “and other exfoliating acids” (October 2026). Its 8-ingredient list has one, salicylic acid, 4th.
• Fortune captions the Microfoliant “A scrub made with ultra-fine sugar” (2026). Its list has no sugar; cellulose is first.
• DermOnDemand calls the La Roche-Posay Effaclar serum fragrance-free (DermOnDemand). Its Drug Facts label lists fragrance last and alcohol denat. as the second inactive ingredient (DailyMed).
• Byrdie’s chemical exfoliator guide promises “No irritating scrubs here”, then picks ExfoliKate (October 2026), whose silica, 3rd on the list, Kate Somerville says “acts like a natural bead” (Kate Somerville).
• Byrdie’s face guide calls ExfoliKate gentle on the skin (October 2026). Kate Somerville says it may make skin tingle and flush, and the list has cinnamal, eugenol, seven essential oils or scent extracts and alcohol denat. 16th (Kate Somerville).
• Organic Beauty Lover calls Acure’s walnut shell scrub gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin (August 2024). Acure’s US list has walnut shell powder third, with spearmint, sage, lemongrass and lavandin oils (Acure).
• DermOnDemand recommends The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid 5% + HA for sensitive skin (DermOnDemand), as The Ordinary’s description does, but the same page’s directions say not to use it on sensitive skin (The Ordinary).
• The Strategist says the Microfoliant suits daily use for anyone with sensitivities (July 2026). Dermalogica tells sensitive skin to start every other day and build up (Dermalogica), and the list has grapefruit peel oil and limonene.

Also considered

• 

  The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

  Not for routine use: its own label limits it to experienced acid users, once or twice a week, rinsed after no more than 10 minutes (The Ordinary). Glycolic acid is first on the list, ahead of water, and its 30% AHA is three times the 10% the CIR panel found safe in consumer products (CIR). On Reddit, 5 of the 9 people who named it were negative, some calling it too harsh (r/SkincareAddiction, 2024).

  Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid

  One of the exfoliants named most in the Reddit recommendation threads we read (15 people, 11 positive), though several found it weak (r/AsianBeauty, 2024). Its BHA is betaine salicylate (3rd) in a base of willow bark water (first), not salicylic acid. Our list is Ulta's: COSRX’s own US page could not be read.

• 

  Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel

  Allure’s best overall and a pick in five of the guides we read (Allure), but step one lists alcohol denat. 2nd and fragrance, step two adds retinol, fourth in that step, and Dr. Dennis Gross states no acid strength.

  Check price at Amazon: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  TULA So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub

  Byrdie’s best scrub (October 2026) and Fortune’s best physical exfoliator (2026), but the list has fragrance (26th of 29) with limonene, benzyl salicylate and hydroxycitronellal, and TULA sells its “signature Afterglow fragrance”. Its grit is sugar, first on the list, with bromelain and papain; TULA says 2 to 4 times a week.

  Check price at Amazon: TULA So Polished Exfoliating Sugar Scrub (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  SkinCeuticals Micro-Exfoliating Scrub

  Fortune’s best overall (2026) and the one scent-free scrub we read: hydrated silica 2nd, no essential oil, no drying alcohol. It is not a pick because sodium laureth sulfate, a foaming detergent, is 6th on Dermstore’s list.

• 

  St. Ives Apricot Face Scrub

  The scrub behind the micro-tear class action (see are scrubs bad): walnut shell powder is second on the list, with corn kernel meal 6th and fragrance 19th of 24. St. Ives says its grit includes milled walnut shells and apricot pits, but the list has no apricot seed powder; its one apricot entry is a fruit extract, 23rd. Its directions say 2 to 3 times a week.

• 

  Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

  Byrdie’s best overall (October 2026), but one of the most scented labels we read: seven essential oils or scent extracts and four named fragrance allergens (limonene, linalool, eugenol and cinnamal), with alcohol denat. 16th. Kate Somerville says it may make skin tingle and flush. It also lists honey and retinyl palmitate, a retinoid.

  Check price at Amazon: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  La Roche-Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Serum

  A leave-on OTC acne drug: 1.5% salicylic acid in a Drug Facts box (DailyMed), with glycolic acid the fourth inactive ingredient. But alcohol denat. is the second inactive ingredient and fragrance the last. The choice only if you want a product labeled as an acne treatment.

  Check price at Amazon: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Serum (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment

  People on Reddit liked it, all 5 who named it (r/30PlusSkinCare, 2025), but the list on Dermstore has lemongrass oil (18th of 24, counting its nine-ingredient botanical blend as one), and Sunday Riley states no lactic acid strength. CeraVe’s nightly treatment, our dry-skin pick, states its blend and lists no scented oil.

  Check price at Amazon: Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

  The Ordinary states 7% glycolic acid at a pH of about 3.6 and prints the Sunburn Alert, but rose flower water is third on the list, hexyl nicotinate is 31st, and the label says not to use it on sensitive skin. On Reddit, 5 of the 7 people who named it had a complaint or a bad reaction, mostly irritation (r/SkincareAddiction, 2024; r/30PlusSkinCare, 2023).

  Check price at Amazon: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner (paid link, opens in a new tab)
• 

  The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA

  Lactic acid, 10% by its name, is second on a 15-ingredient list with no fragrance and no drying alcohol, and The Ordinary prints the Sunburn Alert. But the same page says not to use it on sensitive skin, and the list has no ceramides; CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment, our dry-skin pick, lists three.

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  Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0

  Popular, but the US list has alcohol denat. 5th and seven essential oils, with limonene last, and the 0.45% Medicube prints is for willow bark, not salicylic acid; no acid strength is stated.

  Check price at Amazon: Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 (paid link, opens in a new tab)
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  Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment

  Both Byrdie guides’ budget pick (October 2026; October 2026), and Good Molecules prints each acid’s percentage on the box: 8.1% glycolic, 1% lactic, 0.1% salicylic acid. It is not a pick because alcohol denat. is listed 8th. Its page also says it is now made with malachite extract, which the list it prints does not include, so newer boxes may differ.

  Check price at Amazon: Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment (paid link, opens in a new tab)

An exfoliant works on the nights you plan it

Avina keeps your morning and evening routines with your real products and records the days you did them, so you can see which nights you exfoliated and keep sunscreen in every morning.

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