You may have heard the phrase “there’s no use crying over spilled milk,” and it remains true. That being said, nobody said that you can’t lather it into your skin for a gentle touch of exfoliation and moisture - and that’s how we ended up with the best lactic acid skincare products! While this natural acid has been gaining momentum in the beauty space for several years, it’s believed to date back centuries, when Cleopatra would take milk baths to maintain her royal complexion. And she certainly isn’t the only one who has discovered the beauty benefits of this natural acid that’s derived from dairy, particularly spoiled milk. These days, you can find lactic acid in many of the best serums, moisturizers, and face masks on the shelves, renowned for their ability to gently exfoliate, reduce acne, smooth wrinkles and help the skin retain moisture. It’s certainly a lot to promise, but you’ll soon see why lactic acid is one of the best skincare ingredients that has been utilized for generations.

What is lactic acid?

Lactic acid is known as one of the more gentle alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s), with both exfoliant and humectant properties that are well-tolerated by most skin types. While naturally produced by the body, typically developed within the muscles after exercising, the most common source of lactic acid in beauty products is through milk or fruit sugars. Many skincare beginners and experts alike applaud the gentle, yet effective powers of lactic acid - with many calling it glycolic acid’s more gentle cousin (more on that later!). Regardless of your age or skin type, you can immensely benefit from the anti-aging, strengthening, exfoliating and moisturizing aspects of lactic acid skincare products.

What are the benefits of lactic acid?

Perhaps the greatest strength of lactic acid is its dual role as an exfoliant and a humectant. It’s known to gently unclog pores and clear excess sebum, while also injecting moisture and leaving you with stronger, clearer skin. It’s no surprise that combination skin types are especially fond of this balancing natural acid. The top benefits of lactic acid include:

Exfoliation: Like other natural acids, lactic acid is an exfoliator that unclogs your pores to prevent breakouts and blackheads. However, it stands out due to the larger molecules that penetrate the pores less deeply, but more gently.

Anti-Aging: Studies have shown that this natural acid helps to smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, while strengthening for firmer skin.

Moisturizing: Helps the skin become stronger and capable of retaining more moisture

Acne-fighting: Lactic acid peels are commonly used to treat minor blemishes, due to their ideal levels of exfoliation

Improves skin tone: Helps to fade dark spots and give the skin a smooth texture

Gentleness: Lactic acid’s smaller molecules ensure that it’s safe to use on nearly every complexion, and won’t overwhelm those with combination or sensitive skin.

How do I use lactic acid?

Despite its gentle nature, experts recommend that you should only use lactic acid once per day - regardless of whether you’re using a moisturizer, peel, or serum. While you’re able to use this natural acid in both the mornings and evenings, we’d recommend saving it for your nighttime skincare routine - as this allows you to avoid sun exposure while letting your products effectively absorb as you sleep.

Use a small amount of lactic acid in your nighttime skincare routine, after toning and before moisturizing. Try using it alongside other hydrating ingredients, like hyaluronic acid or squalane, for the best results.

Who should use lactic acid?

There are a lot of things to like about lactic acid - clear skin, less wrinkles, more firmness - and people of all ages and skin types can benefit from using this skincare ingredient. However, those with sensitive or combination skin may love it just a bit more. The latter type deals with skin that’s a bit moody - sometimes dry, and sometimes oily - and the gentle nature of lactic acid will balance out the complexion without being overwhelming.

That being said, lactic acid has something for everybody. Those in their teens and 20’s can use the best lactic acid serums to unclog pores and reduce excess sebum, while others can firm up the skin and diminish fine lines with the top moisturizers and creams. And we can’t forget the moisturizing aspect that every skin type will love.

What is the difference between glycolic acid and lactic acid?

Lactic and glycolic acids are often used in the same sentence, with beauty experts discussing their similar talents for exfoliating, hydrating, and smoothing. While these two skincare ingredients certainly have their similarities, there are also quite a few distinctions. The first is that lactic acid is more gentle, due to the fact that the larger molecules deliver more surface treatment. In other words, your lactic acid serum will polish, firm, and sweep away surface impurities, as opposed to doing an extreme deep-dive into the pores like a glycolic acid treatment.

Several more differences: glycolic acid is derived from sugarcane rather than dairy, typically delivers results more quickly than lactic, and is a top choice for anybody looking to treat hyperpigmentation. As you can see, both of these often-compared natural acids hold their own form of beauty - and you simply need to decide which one is right for you.