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BEST OF BEAUTY 2020

SkinCeuticals's Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight Treatment Is a Godsend for Fading Hyperpigmentation

The potent overnight treatment takes down pimples and fades discoloration by morning, all with little to no irritation on my semi-sensitive skin.
A silver tube of SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight on blue textured background
Courtesy of brand
Best of Beauty
  • Best of Beauty
  • 2020

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TL;DR:

  • What It Is: A 10 percent glycolic acid-infused overnight face cream
  • What It Does: Smooths and clears away dead skin and promotes cell turnover to address uneven skin tone
  • Who It's For: Anyone looking to improve the appearance of dark spots, large pores, and rough-textured skin

I've tried my fair share of acid over the years — skin-care acid, that is — and glycolic acid by far is the one that makes my hyperpigmentation and hormonal, acne-prone skin the giddiest. While others like hyaluronic, lactic, or azelaic acids all have a prominent place in my ever-evolving skin-care routine, glycolic has proven to be, for me at least, the G.O.A.T. So naturally, I was all in on trying this year's Allure Best of Beauty winner, the SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight.

While many skin-care products require a usage commitment of at least a few weeks before seeing their effects, I've been taking notes on how much Allure readers, editors, and some of our favorite dermatologists stan for the rapid difference SkinCeuticals's C E Ferulic serum makes. So I had high hopes of seeing results with the brand's glycolic treatment a lot sooner — and it didn't disappoint.

Before diving into my love for this product, let's talk about what makes the main ingredient so great. Ranella Hirsch, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine, previously told Allure that there's a reason why glycolic is the acid used the most in doctor's-office peels. For starters, it's made up of the smallest molecule of all the acids, which means that it penetrates skin a lot easier, delivering the most drastic results and a number of skin benefits like regenerating collagen, smoothing rough-textured skin, and evening skin tone. The effects are similar to that of some prescription retinoids.

Because glycolic is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), it works as a chemical exfoliant to slough away dead skin. These types of skin resurfacers are better suited for sensitive skin since it's not physically scrubbing the skin, which can be abrasive and irritating. My skin is a classic combination of an oily T-zone with normal to dry skin in other areas — I'm only slightly sensitivity if I overdo it with certain ingredients. For this reason, when using acids of any type, I'm always careful to follow the suggested usage instructions. The directions for the Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight recommend starting out with an application every other night for the first week, and then nightly thereafter, so that's what I did.

Can I just say that I was (and still am) really into the texture of this product? Typically, I tend to use glycolic acid in liquid form, but surprisingly, this one is a cream. It feels like a not-too-heavy balm and cream mixed together — it's not thick or sticky, but it feels soothing and moisturizing after washing my face. It's slightly richer in consistency than anything I'd wear during the day, and it did leave my face visibly shiny, but I wasn't too concerned since I applied it right before going to sleep.

In addition to having 10 percent glycolic acid, there's also 2 percent phytic acid, which also helps with skin clarity and brightness. "Phytic acid is a mild acid derived from corn used in skin care for exfoliation," explains cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. What makes this formula tolerable for even sensitive skin is that the acids are formulated with what the brand calls a triple-action soothing complex (made of hydrating jojoba and sunflower seed oils ), which acts as a protective barrier from irritation.

My face was in rare form at the start of my Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight test run. I had two major pimples bubbling up, one of which was already (per usual) showing a dark spot ring around the perimeter of the blemish. So I applied the cream all over my just-washed face and then went back and did a small spot treatment specifically over the two pimples. I felt a super mild tingling on the areas of my face that tend to get really dry, but it dissipated after a few seconds. By the time I finished applying it, my face felt really soothed and like it was wrapped in a blanket.

The next morning, my skin felt moisturized, but not at all greasy. I'd typically be running to wash my face after sleeping with an overnight product, but with this, I didn't have that urge. I was very impressed by the way the inflammation on my pimples had significantly gone down. And overall, my normally enlarged pores — particularly on my cheeks — weren't obvious. The texture of my skin looked and felt smoother after one night.

If I could douse my whole body in this glycolic acid treatment, I would. I actually might try to. At the very least, I'm certainly planning to extend my usage of this product from my face down to my chest and back a bit. It has once again confirmed that glycolic acid is a winner for me.

Check out the full list of Allure's 2020 Best of Beauty winners.