I slathered this on a compromised barrier week because I’m a menace — and my face didn’t even flinch. That’s the flex.
Most glycolic serums hit pH 3.5 and *burn or bust*. Ourself keeps pH at a smart 4.2–4.5, which means enzymatic exfoliation kicks in before the stinging can. You get the glow without the red.
🔬 **What You’re Actually Buying**
It’s a daily-use 10% glycolic serum that claims to resurface without irritation. $48 for 30ml. I bought it because a derm friend said “finally, a glycolic that doesn’t act like a bully.”
pH Buffer System
Locks the formula at 4.2 so glycolic stays effective but stops burning your face off.
PHA Blend
Gluconolactone + lactobionic acid add hydration while the glycolic works — counterintuitive but smart.
Encapsulated Delivery
The acid hits slowly over 8 hours instead of all at once. No purge spike.
Photo: Element5 Digital / Unsplash
🧴 **Ingredients That Earn Their Spot**
Three acids, one calming agent, zero nonsense. The hero is 10% glycolic (duh), but the PHA cocktail does the heavy lifting on moisture retention.
- Glycolic Acid (10%): Loosens dead cells like a tiny demolition crew
- Gluconolactone: Hydrates while exfoliating — rare combo
- Lactobionic Acid: Calms redness before it starts
- Sodium PCA: Holds water so you don’t get that tight, idiot feeling
📊 **Texture & Reality Check**
Water-thin. Like, drips-off-your-chin thin. Absorbs in maybe 12 seconds. First week I felt nothing — no tingle, no burn, no magic. I almost rage-quit it.
Week 2.5: woke up with a nose that looked airbrushed. Texture was smoother, but more importantly — no irritation. That’s the actual win. Most acids make you glow *and* peel. This just glows.
💡 **Did It Actually Work?**
My pore size didn’t vanish (nothing does), but the congestion on my chin halved. Fine lines around my mouth looked slightly less etched. What stayed the same: my dark spots. This isn’t a pigment serum.
✅ **Final Call**
It’s the most polite glycolic acid I’ve ever used — and that’s not shade. It’s actually hard to make an acid this gentle that still works. Ourself nailed the pH math.