Works for
ExfoliationLactic acidWorks well
“Lactic Tonic AHA Resurfacing Essence”
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: lactic acid.
Evens skin toneLactic acid, Tranexamic acidWorks well
“Sacheu Lactic Tonic AHA Resurfacing Essence is formulated with lactic acid, maleic acid, and tranexamic acid, this triple-action essence targets hyperpigmentation caused by sun exposure and acne while smoothing the skin surface for an overall brightened glow.”
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: lactic acid, tranexamic acid
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Anti-blemishSodium ascorbyl phosphate ~1.2–1.8%Under-dosed
Effective ingredients missing or their concentration is too low.
Anti-agingSide benefit · Lactic acid, Hyaluronic acid + 1 moreMay help
This product contains lactic acid. This ingredient might be able to help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, but there is not enough evidence that it actually works.
MoisturizingSide benefit · Lactic acid, Tranexamic acid + 2 moreWorks
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": glycerin, hyaluronic acid.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy2 flagged ingredientsLow risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Maleic acid~23–35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Lactic acid~9.1–13.6%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
More about Lactic acidTranexamic acid~5.7–8.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An amino acid that is effective in reducing hyperpigmentation and evening out the skin tone. It can also help in skin barrier recovery. It is used to treat melasma, especially with injections and when taken orally
More about Tranexamic acidPropanediol~3.9–5.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin
More about PropanediolWater~3.1–4.7%
Glycerin~2.2–3.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinSodium ascorbyl phosphate~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A stable derivative of vitamin C. It is oil-soluble which means it is more likely to penetrate the skin compared to the pure form of vitamin C (which is water-soluble), but it is less bio-available and is way less effective in stimulating collagen and reducing wrinkles compared to the pure form of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) and its other derivatives (for example, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate). At the same time, this vitamin C derivative has been shown in studies to be effective in reducing acne, blemishes and clogged pores. It is less irritating then the pure form of vitamin C
More about Sodium ascorbyl phosphateHyaluronic acid~0.85–1.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. Naturally present in skin. Typically has large molecule size unless advertised otherwise on the product label. Helps support skin's barrier function and may help to reduce inflammation
More about Hyaluronic acidPhenoxyethanol~0.4–0.95%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolHexylglycerin~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Ingredient list view
Maleic acid, Lactic acid, Tranexamic acid, Propanediol, Water, Glycerin, Sodium ascorbyl phosphate, Hyaluronic acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylglycerin
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| SacheuLactic Tonic AHA Resurfacing EssenceYOUR PRODUCT | SkintechPeel2Glow Sleep and Repair 2 | EADEMCashmere Peel Gentle AHA + PHA Exfoliating Toner with 9% Lactic, Azelaic, Tranexamic Acids | ITKtri-acid toner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 52% | 47% | 46% |
| Price | — | — | — | $12.75 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 3 of 5 | 2 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Key difference | — | Bifida Ferment Lysate | Colloidal Oatmeal | Niacinamide |
| Irritancy | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: REVOLUTION SKINCARE X Sali Hughes Placid 5-Acid Daily ExfoliantDeviant Skincare Gentle Resurfacing Liquid
Product summary
"Sacheu - Lactic Tonic AHA Resurfacing Essence" is effective for: Exfoliation and Evens skin tone
This product could be helpful for: Anti-aging and Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Exfoliating acids (lactic acid 9.10% - 13.60%). In this concentration, they will have a noticeable exfoliating effect. They can also have an anti-aging effect and stimulate collagen production in a long-run. Lactic Acid can also help to attract water to the upper layer (works as a humectant).
- Humectants (hyaluronic acid 0.85% - 1.30%, glycerin 2.20% - 3.30% and lactic acid 9.10% - 13.60%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 16 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Epidermal and dermal effects of topical lactic acidncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2Dual Effects of Alpha-Hydroxy Acids on the Skinpdfs.semanticscholar.org
- 3Effect of tranexamic acid on melasma: a clinical trial with histological evaluationonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 4Tranexamic acid accelerates skin barrier recovery and upregulates occludin in damaged skinonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 5
- 6Efficacy and possible mechanisms of topical tranexamic acid in melasmaonlinelibrary.wiley.com
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