Tocobo quietly tweaked their AHA 10% formula — and the internet lost its mind over the pH change. The old version sat around pH 3.5; the new one’s closer to 4.0.
That 0.5 difference matters if you’re a chronic over-exfoliator. But for normal skin? You probably won’t feel a damn thing change. The bottle still says “10% Glycolic Acid” — the delivery just got gentler.
It’s a leave-on liquid exfoliant, $18 for 150ml. The claim that got me: “resurfaces without stripping.” I rolled my eyes — then bought it anyway.
pH Adjust Up
Higher pH means less sting. Better for barrier-compromised skin. Worse for stubborn texture.
Same Acid Punch
Still 10% glycolic acid. Still effective — just slower. Think slow cooker vs pressure cooker.
No Scent Cover-Up
They didn’t add perfume to hide the acid smell. Smells like a lab. I respect that.
Three actives doing the heavy lifting, plus a soothing afterthought that actually works. No filler nonsense.
- Glycolic Acid (10%): Dissolves dead skin cells — the main event
- Panthenol: Calms the inevitable purge redness
- Sodium Hyaluronate: Counteracts the drying effect — actually works
- Allantoin: Takes the edge off when you overdo it
Water-thin. Dries in 20 seconds flat. No sticky residue — just immediate tightness if you leave it on too long. I timed it.
Week 2: my chin texture finally budged. But here’s the weird thing — my pores looked *larger* for the first week before they shrunk. Nobody warns you about the temporary pore dilation. Looks scary. Push through.
Closed comedones halved by week 3. Fine lines didn’t disappear — but my makeup stopped settling into them. Pigment? My left cheek sunspot faded maybe 20%. Not a miracle. A real improvement.
The reformulation made it less dramatic — and that’s exactly why I’m keeping it. Better for daily consistency than the old shock-your-face version.