I have already reviewed Deciem's The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2% here. It wasn't quite strong enough for me, so I grabbed the Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% to see if it was better for me. Details per The Ordinary:
Lactic Acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin. This 10% formulation offers mild exfoliation and is supported with a purified Tasmanian pepperberry known to reduce signs of inflammation and sensitivity that is often associated with exfoliation.
This formula contains a studied Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use. This derivative is of plant origin and varies in colour seasonally and this colour variation may be apparent in the formula from time to time.
Contraindications: Lactic Acid should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. Please refer to additional sun protection note and other warnings in provided Directions.
This pH of this formula is approximately 3.8. Lactic Acid has a pKa of 3.8 and pKa is the most important aspect to consider in formulating with acids. pKa implies acid availability. When pKa is close to pH, there is an ideal balance between salt and acidity, maximizing effectiveness of the acid and reducing irritation. Higher pH numbers in such a case would increase salt which counter-intuitively would make the formula even more irritating than if the formula was more acidic.
This version has the same color and scent at the 5% version, it's just a stronger percentage of lactic acid. It has a slight tingle or sting to it after applying, which the milder version does not. This comes in the same glass bottle with dropper style packaging as is the norm for The Ordinary products. It's extremely reasonably priced for $6.79 for 30 ml. It has a lovely faint melon scent almost with a spicy kick. This is not as effective as Sunday Riley Good Genes. While this 10% version is stronger than the 5% which makes it better in my book, it's still not the most effective AHA or lactic acid serum I've used. It's cheap which is a bonus, and will be great for a lot of people. If you want really strong results and can afford Good Genes then I would go for that.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Arginine, Potassium Citrate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethyl 2,2-Dimethylhydrocinnamal, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol.