There are so many skincare ingredients that promise to give you your smoothest, glowiest, most radiant skin yet — and while these claims can be pretty tantalizing, they’re also overwhelming when you’re not sure what to shop. Enter glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps gently buff away dead skin cells to reveal a guaranteed glow. “Many skincare products contain AHAs because they act to exfoliate the superficial skin layer (epidermis) by loosening the ‘glue’ that holds skin cells together, resulting in skin resurfacing without the need for scrubbing,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kate Viola. “These chemical exfoliators gently remove dead skin cells, as compared to physical exfoliators [like face scrubs], which manually remove dead skin.” Below, we break down everything you need to know about glycolic acid, including what it does for the skin, who should be using it, and the best, dermatologist-approved products that contain the ingredient. 
