12% Acid Intensive Peeling Serum
The Y.O.U 12% Acid Intensive Peeling Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 76 ingredients (55 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The Y.O.U 12% Acid Intensive Peeling Serum is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 76 ingredients (55 low-risk) rates it Excellent (96/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Malic Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Potassium Hydroxide
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Mandelic Acid
(Antimicrobial) |
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Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Panthenol
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Gluconolactone
(Fragrance, Humectant, Solvent) |
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Betaine
(Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Antistatic Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Portulaca Oleracea Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Diethoxyethyl Succinate
(Solvent) |
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Ceramide AP
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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1,2-Hexanediol
(Solvent) |
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Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
(Buffering Agent) |
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Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
(Flavoring Agent, Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
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PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
(Fragrance, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Perfuming) |
Fungal Acne Trigger
|
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Glycolic Acid
(Exfoliant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Glyceryl Glucoside
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Lactobionic Acid
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Lactic Acid
(Exfoliant, Fragrance, Humectant, Ph Adjuster, Skin Conditioning Agent Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Buffering Agent) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
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PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
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Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
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Tartaric Acid
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
|
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Cyclodextrin
(Absorbent, Chelating Agent) |
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Ceteareth-25
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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CI 42090
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant) |
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Centella Asiatica Extract
(Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing, Soothing, Tonic) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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Ceramide NP
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
(Masking) |
Good for Sensitive Skin
|
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Carnosine
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
Bad for Oily Skin
|
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PEG-8
(Humectant, Solvent) |
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Alpha-Arbutin
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Propanediol
(Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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4-t-Butylcyclohexanol
(Masking, Perfuming) |
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Tranexamic Acid
(Cosmetic Astringent, Skin Conditioning) |
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Octyldodecanol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming, Solvent) |
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CENTELLA ASIATICA FLOWER/LEAF/STEM EXTRACT
(Skin Conditioning) |
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CENTELLA ASIATICA ROOT EXTRACT
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
|
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Hydrogenated Lecithin
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant) |
|
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Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
|
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Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
(Astringent, Humectant, Soothing) |
|
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Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
(Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
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Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
(Antioxidant) |
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Hydroxyacetophenone
(Antioxidant) |
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Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
(Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient, Humectant, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Tonic, Uv Absorber) |
Good for Oily Skin
|
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Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
(Antimicrobial, Skin Conditioning) |
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Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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glycyrrhiza glabra root extract
(Bleaching, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Emollient, Smoothing, Soothing) |
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CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA FLOWER EXTRACT
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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ASCORBIC ACID
(Antioxidant, Buffering, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract
(Antimicrobial, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Ethylhexylglycerin
(Deodorant, Skin Conditioning) |
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Cholesterol
(Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Emollient, Emulsifying, Stabilising, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Phytosphingosine
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
(Humectant) |
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Phospholipids
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Nonapeptide-1
(Skin Conditioning, Hair Conditioning) |
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Hyaluronic Acid
(Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Antistatic Agent, Humectant, Moisturising) |
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Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
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Caprylhydroxamic Acid
(Chelating Agent) |
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Ceramide NS
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Ceramide AS
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
(Film Forming, Humectant) |
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Potassium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Ceramide EOP
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning) |
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CI 16035
(Cosmetic Colorant) |
|
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CI 77266
(Colorant, Cosmetic Colorant) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.
ASCORBIC ACID
Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.
Salicylic Acid
OTC leave-on AHAs are usually 5–10%. The effect also depends on pH and free-acid value, not the percentage alone.
Malic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tartaric Acid
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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