Overnight Exfoliating Treatment
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Price and formula checked July 2026
One of the best value plays on the whole board: a properly dosed, disclosed glycolic treatment for the price of a coffee. Ease in slowly and pair it with daytime sunscreen.
- Every active discloses its concentration
- Cheap to use, about $2 a month
- 1 listed active is fairy-dusted below the 1% line
- Evidence24 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Glycolic Acid: strong evidence
- Lactic Acid: moderate evidence
- Salicylic Acid: moderate evidence
The average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency18 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Glycolic Acid (8.1%): dosed at a studied level
- Lactic Acid (1%): present, but below a studied dose
- Salicylic Acid (0.1%): below the 1% line, treated as fairy-dusted
How strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability14 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: clear dropper
- No fragile actives here, so packaging barely moves the score.
Delivery tech plus packaging, and packaging only counts when actives are fragile.
- Formulation8 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 3 of 3 actives disclose a concentration
- 3 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- No current-generation or synergy bonus
Disclosure, active breadth, and current-generation or synergistic actives.
- Value15 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $2 per month to use
- $6 for 30 ml, used about once a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 3.3 months
- Frequency is set by Glycolic Acid, which is used no more than 7x a week, so a bottle stretches further
What a month of use costs: full marks at $6 a month or less, the floor at $60 a month or more.
Tap any row to see how its score was built.
Ranks #8 of 26 exfoliating acids serums we have scored.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Glycolic Acid | 8.1% | Studied |
| Lactic Acid | 1% | Light |
| Salicylic Acid | 0.1% | Below 1% line |
A leave-on night treatment with 8.1% glycolic acid as the hero, plus 1% lactic and 0.1% salicylic in support, all three disclosed, in a clear glass dropper. Glycolic does the real resurfacing work while the lactic and salicylic are minor supporting notes rather than second doses.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
What the research says
Topical glycolic acid was linked to a smoother, more evenly toned looking appearance in sun exposed skin in a small clinical study.
Improving the cosmetic appearance of photoaged skin with glycolic acid. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1997. PubMed ↗
A 15% lactic acid and ceramide lotion was linked to smoother, less flaky looking, better moisturized skin after 14 days of use.
A 14-day Controlled Study Assessing Qualitative Improvement with 15% Lactic Acid and Ceramides in Skin Moisturization and Desquamation. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020. PubMed ↗
A study of the active, not this exact product. What matters for the score is whether this serum uses it at a comparable dose.
Higher-scoring alternatives
Same category, better SerumProof score. Worth a look before you buy.
Revision history
- July 11, 2026Price and formula rechecked
- July 10, 2026Review published
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Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.