Lactic Acid 10% + HA
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Price and formula checked July 2026
A genuine leave-on exfoliating serum at a throwaway price, with the acid level right on the label. A smart first AHA for skin that finds glycolic too sharp.
- Cheap to use, about $3 a month
- Evidence21 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Lactic Acid: moderate evidence
- Hyaluronic Acid: moderate evidence
The average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency21 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Lactic Acid (10%): dosed at a studied level
- Hyaluronic Acid: 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: tinted glass
- No fragile actives here, so packaging barely moves the score.
Delivery tech plus packaging, and packaging only counts when actives are fragile.
- Formulation4 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 1 of 2 actives disclose a concentration
- 2 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 $3 per month to use
- $9 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 Lactic 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 #14 of 26 exfoliating acids serums we have scored.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Lactic Acid | 10% | Studied |
| Hyaluronic Acid | n/a | Studied |
10% lactic acid, disclosed, buffered with hyaluronic acid and a Tasmanian pepperberry anti-irritant, in a frosted glass dropper. Lactic is a larger, milder AHA that doubles as a humectant, so this leans gentler than a glycolic at the same strength while still doing surface work.
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 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 multicenter study linked a topical hyaluronic acid serum with better looking hydration, tone, and texture over several follow up visits.
Multicenter evaluation of a topical hyaluronic acid serum. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022. 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.