Mandelic acid

What does mandelic acid do for skin?

It loosens the dull, rough surface layer, like the other exfoliating acids, but more slowly. Think of the cheek that feels like fine sandpaper under your fingertips, or the patch beside the nose where foundation catches, on skin that stings when you try glycolic acid. That is the kind of skin the gentler acids are studied on.

Mandelic acid is an aromatic alpha hydroxy acid first identified in 1831, according to a 2026 chemistry review, and a 2023 Italian study describes it as a natural derivative of bitter almonds.

How does mandelic acid work?

Like other alpha hydroxy acids, it helps the outermost skin cells let go so the surface looks smoother. The difference is speed. The 2023 study describes mandelic acid as an AHA that “penetrates the skin slowly and evenly,” and calls it an ideal peeling agent for sensitive skin.

Is mandelic acid gentler than glycolic acid?

That is what the available comparison suggests. A 2010 Italian study on volunteers compared exfoliating acids directly: 10% glycolic acid exfoliated faster but caused more redness and made skin more sensitive to UV light. Mandelic acid and a grape-juice acid mix produced “a slower and safer peeling action in comparison with glycolic acid,” in the authors’ words.

Gentler means slower too. If you want visible change quickly, glycolic acid moves faster; if your skin turns red and tight with it, mandelic acid is the trade worth trying.

Can mandelic acid help dry or sensitive skin?

In one small trial, yes, with modest results. 30 women aged 25 to 64 with sensitive, dry skin used a simple mandelic acid serum on one half of the face and a placebo on the other, 3 evenings a week for 8 weeks. On the mandelic side, skin hydration rose by 11.40% at 4 weeks and 23.68% at 8 weeks, and skin roughness fell by 8.13% at 8 weeks. Redness went down slightly, by about 3.5%, rather than up. The same study found that a blend of several acids did better than mandelic acid alone, and the blend’s maker ran the trial.

Mandelic acid also appears in body creams for dry, crepey-looking skin. In a 12-week study, 41 adults with sensitive skin used a cream containing mandelic acid and centella twice a day, and their skin texture and overall appearance improved. There was no comparison group, and the cream held other ingredients, so the result cannot be credited to mandelic acid alone.

How long until you notice a difference?

Expect weeks, not days. In the half-face trial, hydration had already improved at 4 weeks, but the change in skin roughness was clearer at 8 weeks.

How do you use mandelic acid?

Start a few evenings a week, on clean skin, and follow with moisturizer. The 2023 trial used it every other evening, 3 times a week, and that is a sensible starting rhythm. Add it on its own rather than alongside another new active, and patch test first if your skin reacts easily.

Because exfoliating acids can raise sun sensitivity, as the 2010 study measured for glycolic acid, wear sunscreen every morning while you use it. Our guide to how much sunscreen to use on your face covers the amount.

Who should be careful with mandelic acid?

Anyone already using another exfoliating acid or a retinoid product, because stacking them is the quickest route to stinging and dry patches. Use one at a time, or on different nights. Stop if your skin burns, peels or stays red.