Gluconolactone
Gluconolactone is a PHA — a polyhydroxy acid with a larger molecule than a typical AHA, so it exfoliates more gently and penetrates less deeply, while still improving tone and texture. It's the standard entry point into exfoliating acids for skin too reactive for even a gentle AHA like lactic acid.
How it works
A polyhydroxy acid (PHA) whose larger molecular size limits penetration depth compared with AHAs, giving gentle exfoliation and metal-chelating antioxidant activity with a much lower irritation profile.
In practice, it's the acid to try first if lactic acid — already the gentlest AHA — has still caused irritation, rather than giving up on exfoliation entirely.
How to introduce it
Wait about 5 minutes before the next step. Judging Gluconolactone before week 8 means judging it before it's had time to actually work — most of what reads as "this isn't doing anything" in the first couple of weeks is just too early to tell.
- Gentlest acid class — still pair with daily sunscreen.
- Safe alongside most other actives, but keep off broken skin.
Who should be careful
Gluconolactone's safety rating is the lowest tier tracked here — well tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive skin, without a slow introduction.
Common in these product forms
Among the products Skinzy tracks in India that contain Gluconolactone, it most often shows up as a toner.
Questions people ask
The gentlest common exfoliating acid — real results on tone and texture, with meaningfully less irritation risk than an AHA.
Most people see a fair result around 8 weeks of consistent use — judging earlier usually means judging too soon.
At night. Gluconolactone is intended for PM use.