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Budget AHA · #10 skin Generated scene, not a product photo
The Ordinary · Skin · Exfoliants

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

A big bottle of seven percent glycolic acid for rough texture and dullness. The maker warns it off sensitive or peeling skin, and the burning reviews suggest it means that.

240 mlLiquidGlycolic acidAloeGinsengFragrance-free
$13.50 MSRPAmazon price not shown
Check price on Amazon →

Amazon link · we earn a commission if you buy · $13.50 MSRP · Amazon price not shown · verified Nov 1, 2026. More stores appear here as each affiliate program approves the site.

Buy it if

  • Your skin feels rough and looks dull
  • You want an AHA toner that lasts for months
  • You want the most acid for the least money

Walk past if

  • Your skin is sensitive or peeling; the maker says not to use it
  • You skip sunscreen; the maker warns of added sun sensitivity
  • You dislike a noticeable smell; some owners report one

What's in it

The ingredients that do the work, from the maker’s label.

Glycolic acidAloeGinseng

Sulfate-free →Fragrance-free →

Not in it: fragrance, essential oils, drying alcohol, sulfates. Nothing on our flag list.

Full ingredient list, from the maker

Aqua (Water), Glycolic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Pca, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

Known issue

Owners report burning and redness on first use, plus dry patches and breakouts, and several say it is too harsh for sensitive skin.Ulta and Sephora reviews

What owners say

Filled by the research pass: two or three owner reports from named venues, each linked, each with the date it was read.

If it's not right

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant$37 MSRPTwo percent salicylic acid in a short-list, leave-on liquid, sold by the maker to unclog pores and control oil. It has a long record and a tacky finish some owners cannot stand.CeraVe Moisturizing CreamNo maker list price for this sizeThree ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum in a thick cream for face and body. The plain standard for dry skin, developed with dermatologists according to the maker.

Sources

  1. Maker's US page set to the 240 ml size: ingredient list, list price, skin warning and sun guidance.
  2. Ulta reviews, about 2,200: irritating and not for sensitive skin are the tagged complaints, with burning that lasted hours for some.
  3. Sephora reviews, about 4,600: burning, itching, dry patches and breakouts in the low ratings, and some who saw no result.

Ingredient lists from the maker's label, not our measurements.