7 Best Lactic Acid Cleansers for Satin Smooth Skin (2021 ✅)

If you haven't tried Murad's #1 bestselling AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser yet, what are you waiting for?!

(obviously, a massive sale! 😉 On Prime Day last year, this popular lactic acid cleanser was 30% off!)

With 1,500+ reviews and an astronomical 4.8/5.0 rating (85% five-star ratings), I've literally never seen such a highly rated product in all my years as a skincare editor.

Featuring a triple-acid blend of glycolic, lactic, and salicylic, this cleanser chemically exfoliates dead skin cells, removes surface debris and excess oils, and effectively prepares your skin for further treatments, such as a vitamin C serum, retinol cream, or chemical peel.

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While alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic acid may trigger skin sensitivities in some people (lactic acid is very gentle), most customers reported no skin reactions on their usually sensitive skin. 👍

Have you ever wondered what brand professional salons use after an oh-so satisfying facial treatment?

Dermalogica is one of them and you've probably seen their products on the shelves of your local salon or spa.

Now, you can bring the spa experience back home with Age Smart Skin Resurfacing Cleanser to jump-start your regular skincare routine.

This powerful lactic acid cleanser is one of Dermalogica's many bestsellers with over 1,000 reviews on Amazon and an impressive 4.7/5.0 rating (second only to Murad!).

The active ingredients are very simple: just lactic acid and vitamin E, but there's a number of oils as well, including sunflower seed, rose flower, clove flower, rosewood, lemon peel, and geranium.

According to Dermalogica, rose flower oil is used to "refresh the senses" but it's not entirely clear what purpose the other oils serve (maybe hydrating effects?).

In any case, if you have acne-prone or oily skin, I'd skip this one and get Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser instead.

When you start taking your skincare seriously, it becomes more like a ritual or rite of passage.

(no cult invites, please...🤣)

For this, PCA Skin Facial Wash is an excellent cleanser to start your morning ritual and end your evening one with a mix of exfoliating yet hydrating lactic acid, soothing aloe vera, moisturizing allantoin, and blemish-clearing willow bark extract (a natural source of salicylic acid).

Best of all, it's a professional quality face wash that won't break the bank at $33 for 7 oz (~$4.7 per oz).

With 900+ reviews on Amazon, customers have commented that PCA Skin helped them with anti-aging, adult acne, clogged pores, and even dry skin!

It's excellent for daily use, removing makeup and environmental impurities, and preparing your skin for further treatments like PCA Skin Rejuvenating Serum with plant stem cells and antioxidants.

Continuing our search for the best lactic acid face wash, SkinMedica AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser is yet another premium AHA/BHA cleanser that is almost identical to Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.

(it even has the same name!)

However, once you look beneath the surface at the actual ingredient list, you'll find that SkinMedica is different as it uses naturally derived AHAs:

• Sugar Cane Extract: glycolic acid, of course!
• Sugar Maple Extract: malic and tartaric acids
• Orange & Lemon Extract: citric acid

And unlike Murad, SkinMedica does not uses SLES or Sodium Laureth Sulfate, if that's important to you.

SLES is a gentle cleansing agent that creates a foaming/lathering effect and is actually very safe but it's commonly confused with SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which may cause skin irritation.

(sources: Paula's Choice, Healthline)

As you age, your skin starts to lose its natural elasticity due to declining collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan levels, resulting in thin, crepey, and dry skin.

Unlike teens and adults with oily skin, what you need now is a rich creamy cleanser that won't strip your skin's natural oils while still providing a good bit of exfoliation to regularly remove dead skin cells.

Platinum Skin Care Lactic Anti-Aging Cleanser is such a cleanser that helps reduce signs of aging like wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation with a blend of lactic acid, hydrating agents like almond oil and hyaluronic acid, and organic extracts that rejuvenate and refresh dry skin.

This luxurious and creamy cleanser has been reviewed by dozens of customers as extremely gentle on aging skin, deeply moisturizing, and always leaves their skin feeling silky smooth without stripping its natural oils.

Meanwhile, organic extracts of horsetail, hops, rosemary, and white pine purify, soothe, and restore balance.

Does brilliantly bright skin seem to elude you?

Well, allow me to introduce you to Glo Skin Beauty!

Hydra-Bright AHA Cleanser is a godsend for dark spots, melasma, and uneven skin tone, powered by lactic acid, blue lotus flower (water lily), and moringa extract.

Vegan lactic acid exfoliates and brightens dull skin while blue lotus flower restores hydration to your skin and balances its natural oil content. (source: SkinBetter)

Meanwhile, moringa seed oil (found in prestige brands like Estée Lauder) deeply nourishes and protects your skin from free radical damage.

Notably, Glo Skin Beauty is sulfate-free (including SLES, SLS) but does use a number of alternative sodium-based surfactants as well as essential oils and fragrance.

Do you struggle with constant breakouts?

While salicylic acid is more often prescribed for acne vulgaris (due to its lipophilic properties), it's often very drying and may irritate sensitive skin.

If that sounds like you, Cosmedix Purity Clean is a good alternative with gentle 5% lactic acid and tea tree oil to banish blemishes, blackheads, and clogged pores.

In particular, Cosmedix uses chirally correct L-lactic acid which is the chemical form of lactic acid that your body recognizes and can readily use.

Regular lactic acid formulas contain both L- and D- forms, but since your body can't use the D form, half of it goes to waste and may even contribute to skin irritation.

(source: All Natural Skin Solutions)