The Best Alpha Hydroxy Acid Lotions

Alpha hydroxy acids include glycolic acid, citric acid and lactic acid, and are commonly included in various skin care products. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that lotions containing these acids help exfoliate the skin surface, improve the production of your skin's collagen, and may help diminish fine lines and wrinkles.

La Roche-Posay Biomedic Conditioning Cream

Skincare expert Paula Begoun gave La Roche-Posay's skin conditioning cream the top grade in her three-grade rating system. She says it is "very effective" at enhancing exfoliation thanks to the high concentration of glycolic acid—La Roche-Posay adds it at a concentration of 6 percent—in the lotion.

Skinceuticals Renew Overnight Moisturizer

What Products Contain Alpha Hydroxy Acid?

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Skinceutical's alpha hydroxy acid-enhanced night cream was rated as one of the top beauty products of 2009 by InStyle magazine's editors for several reasons. First, it absorbs quickly. Second, it moisturizes your skin while its acids help to dissolve excess oil and exfoliate your pores for a clearer complexion. Finally, herbal extracts help condition your skin.

Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Triple Smoothing Body Lotion

The beauty editors of Real Simple magazine loved Lubriderm's body lotion because it's economically priced while helping to slough off dead skin cells with alpha hydroxy acid. This keeps the skin on your legs and arms looking and feeling soft and smooth.

EI Solutions Lip Refine

Products in Drugstores That Have Glycolic Acid

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The skin on your lips needs care, too. EI Solutions's lip refining treatment comes recommended by dermatologist Audrey Kunin, who highlighted it for Allure magazine. The cream moisturizes your lips while the acids exfoliate away dead skin cells for softer, more plump lips. Smoother lip skin may in turn help your lipstick or lip gloss to go on more evenly.

MD Formulations Vit-A-Plus Night Recovery

MD Formulations' lotion was ranked by Begoun as one of the best alpha hydroxy acid lotions available through a department store. It contains rich moisturizers, like glycerin, plus vitamin A to help smooth out wrinkles, salicylic acid at a strength of 2 percent, and glycolic acid at a concentration of 8 percent.