PHA Toner
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Price and formula checked July 2026
The softest way to add an exfoliating acid to a routine, with a genuine niacinamide dose alongside for tone and shine. Reach for it if AHAs and BHAs are too much, not if you want serious resurfacing.
- Every active discloses its concentration
- Evidence21 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Gluconolactone (PHA): moderate evidence
- Niacinamide: moderate evidence
The average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency20 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Gluconolactone (PHA) (3%): present, but below a studied dose
- Niacinamide (3%): dosed at a studied level
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: opaque tube
- 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
- 2 of 2 actives disclose a concentration
- 2 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Gluconolactone (PHA)
Disclosure, active breadth, and current-generation or synergistic actives.
- Value12 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $19 per month to use
- $18 for 100 ml, used about twice a day (about 1.75 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 1.0 months
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 #15 of 26 exfoliating acids serums we have scored.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Gluconolactone (PHA) | 3% | Light |
| Niacinamide | 3% | Studied |
3% gluconolactone (a polyhydroxy acid) with 3% niacinamide, both disclosed, in an opaque plastic bottle. PHAs are the gentlest exfoliating acids, and 3% sits at the mild, low end, so the well-dosed niacinamide is arguably the harder-working active here.
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
A gluconolactone regimen was linked to smoother looking skin, similar to a glycolic acid regimen but with less visible irritation.
A polyhydroxy acid skin care regimen provides antiaging effects comparable to an alpha-hydroxyacid regimen. Cutis, 2004. PubMed ↗
Topical 5% niacinamide was linked to more even looking skin tone, softer looking lines, and less visible blotchiness after 12 weeks.
Niacinamide: A B vitamin that improves aging facial skin appearance. Dermatologic Surgery, 2005. 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.