Ingredient glossary
Mandelic Acid
On your shelf ✓What Mandelic Acid does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Mandelic Acid
In short: Mandelic Acid delivers exfoliation and brightening, suits combination and oily skin best, and the evidence behind it is moderate. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant; needs the right pH to work.
- What it does
- Exfoliation, brightening
- Best for
- Combination, Oily skin
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant; needs the right pH to work
- Evidence
- Moderate
The molecule
The Glow take
One of the ingredients I trust most.
When your goal is calming breakouts and congestion, Mandelic Acid delivers, with a solid amount of evidence behind it. It only performs at the right pH, so it is worth buying from brands that get the formulation details right.
— Maya
What it does
- exfoliation
- brightening
- anti acne
moderate evidenceClinical and review data show mandelic acid improves acne, hyperpigmentation and texture with fewer irritation reports than glycolic acid at similar strengths.
On a label: works best above 5%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- oily
- acne prone
- combo
- sensitive
Approach with care
- very sensitive
- compromised barrier
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
- pH-dependentIts effect depends on the product's pH
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveTake care
Often chosen for acne prone. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: compromised barrier.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
- niacinamide
- azelaic acid
- humectants
Mandelic Acid, answered
Is Mandelic Acid safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. Mandelic Acid is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid Mandelic Acid?
Approach Mandelic Acid with care if any of these apply to you: very sensitive and compromised barrier.
What concentration of Mandelic Acid actually works?
Research tends to show Mandelic Acid starts pulling its weight above 5%. If a brand prints the percentage, that is the number to look for.
During pregnancy
Treat Mandelic Acid as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.
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