COSRX
The AHA BHA PHA LHA 35 Peel
A multi-acid evening peel, with glycolic, lactic and mandelic acids, gluconolactone and salicylic acid in one short-contact step.
No reviews yet- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- DryDehydratedSensitiveCompromised barrier
- Helps with
- DehydrationBarrier weaknessEarly environmental damageRough surface texture
In stock. Ships from California or direct from Korea
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
A peel is a short-contact step: it goes on, it works for the few minutes the pack allows, and it comes off again. This one carries four acid families at once, glycolic and lactic acid at the surface, mandelic acid as the larger and slower of the alpha hydroxy acids, gluconolactone as the polyhydroxy acid, and salicylic acid with capryloyl salicylic acid for the oil-soluble side. That combination is why it belongs in an evening of its own rather than in a routine that already includes an acid or a retinoid. Follow the timing printed on the pack, rinse, and put a plain moisturizer on afterwards. Once or twice a week is the most any skin needs from a step like this.
Key benefits
- Glycolic, lactic and mandelic acids are the AHA acids on the list.
- Gluconolactone is the PHA; capryloyl salicylic acid is the LHA.
- Salicylic acid is declared at 2%, the only acid with a percentage on this bottle's list.
- Panthenol and allantoin are on the list to offset the exfoliation.
Key actives
2Glycolic Acid
an AHA for surface exfoliation
5Gluconolactone
a gentler PHA exfoliant
9Salicylic Acid
the BHA, declared at 2% on this bottle's list
21Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
the LHA form on the list
How to use
- Use the AHA BHA PHA LHA 35 Peel in the evening, after cleansing, on clean dry skin.
- A thin even layer over the face, kept clear of the eyelids, the corners of the mouth and any broken skin.
- Leave it for the time the pack gives, rinse it off, then follow with a plain moisturizer and nothing else.
- Once or twice a week at most. Do not use it on the same evening as a retinoid or another acid, and do not leave it on longer than the pack says.
What is the strongest acid in this peel, and how much is in it?
Glycolic acid and lactic acid both lead the list ahead of salicylic acid, which is declared at 2 percent further down. The product name references four acid families, AHA, BHA, PHA and LHA, but only salicylic acid carries a declared percentage on this list.
What does LHA mean and is it actually in this formula?
LHA, or lipohydroxy acid, is referenced in the product name, but capryloyl salicylic acid, the ingredient associated with that acid family, appears well down the list rather than near the top. The formula's exfoliating strength comes primarily from the glycolic, lactic, gluconolactone and mandelic acids positioned earlier.
Is this peel safe for sensitive or beginner skin?
A formula combining glycolic acid, lactic acid, gluconolactone, mandelic acid and 2 percent salicylic acid in one product is a multi-acid exfoliant meant for skin already comfortable with regular acid use. Beginners should start with a single-acid product first and introduce something this layered gradually, watching for redness or stinging.
Does this product contain vitamin B12?
Yes, cyanocobalamin, the INCI name for vitamin B12, appears on the list. It is included in some Korean acid formulas for its skin-conditioning reputation alongside the exfoliating acids rather than as the product's primary function.
How often should a multi-acid peel like this be used?
With four different acid types and a declared 2 percent salicylic acid, this reads as a periodic treatment rather than a daily step. Starting once or twice a week and adjusting based on how the skin responds is the safer approach for a formula this concentrated.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (27): Water, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Gluconolactone, Mandelic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid(2%), Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octyldodeceth-16, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cyanocobalamin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Ingredient list read from incidecoder.com on 9 September 2026.
26 of 27 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Glycolic Acid exfoliant
- Glycolic Acid is the smallest AHA, which is why it is also the most penetrating and the most likely to sting. It loosens the bonds between dead surface cells and is used for the look of dullness and rough texture.
- Lactic Acid exfoliant
- Lactic Acid is a larger AHA than glycolic, so it works nearer the surface and is easier on skin, and it is a humectant as well as an exfoliant. It is the AHA of choice for dry skin.
- Potassium Hydroxide pH adjuster
- Potassium Hydroxide is a strong base used in traces to raise a formula to its target pH. In a soap-style cleanser it also converts fatty acids into the surfactant that does the cleansing.
- Gluconolactone exfoliant
- Gluconolactone is a PHA, the gentlest exfoliant class. Its molecule is too large to penetrate quickly, so it smooths the surface without the sting of an AHA, and it is a humectant at the same time.
- Mandelic Acid exfoliant
- Mandelic Acid is an AHA with a molecule roughly twice the size of glycolic, so it penetrates more slowly and evenly. It is the AHA used where a formula has to suit darker or easily reactive skin.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Salicylic Acid(2%) exfoliant
- Salicylic Acid is a BHA, and the only common exfoliant that is oil soluble, so it can work inside a pore rather than only on the surface. It loosens the dead cells that block pores and is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- Methylpropanediol humectant
- Methylpropanediol is a small glycol used to hydrate and to help water-soluble actives penetrate the outer layer of skin more evenly. It leaves almost no tack, which suits watery textures.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Octyldodeceth-16 emulsifier
- An ethoxylated branched fatty alcohol. It emulsifies and also gives a formula a soft, cushioned slip.
14 more explained
- Citric Acid pH adjuster
- Citric Acid is used in tiny amounts to bring a formula to the pH its actives need, not as an exfoliant at that level. It is an AHA, so at much higher concentrations it can also exfoliate.
- Hydroxyethylcellulose thickener
- Hydroxyethylcellulose is a cellulose thickener that builds a clear, smooth gel and holds the rest of the formula in suspension.
- Pentylene Glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate thickener
- Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer thickener that holds a gel stable even with a lot of salt or acid in the formula.
- Cyanocobalamin vitamin
- Cyanocobalamin is vitamin B12, and it is a deep pink-red, which is why a formula carrying it often has a colour nobody added on purpose. It is used as a conditioning vitamin.
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 thickener
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a thickener chosen for a notably fresh, bouncy gel feel that breaks down to water on the skin.
- Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate thickener
- Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to thicken and to take the sticky edge off a formula, leaving a powdery finish.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Capryloyl Salicylic Acid exfoliant
- Capryloyl Salicylic Acid is salicylic acid with a fatty tail, sometimes sold as LHA. It stays nearer the surface than salicylic acid and works at a higher pH, so it exfoliates more evenly and more gently.
- Polysorbate 60 emulsifier
- Polysorbate 60 is a water-loving emulsifier used with a fatty co-emulsifier to build stable lotions and creams.
- Disodium Phosphate pH adjuster
- Sodium Phosphate is a buffer salt. It holds a formula at a steady pH so its actives stay in the form they work in.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Allantoin active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809598454873
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Category
- Exfoliator
- Actives
- Allantoin, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
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Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 2Glycolic Acid
- 5Gluconolactone
- 9Salicylic Acid
- 21Capryloyl Salicylic
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
Worth knowing
- This formula carries an active acid, so pairing it with another exfoliant in the same routine is worth spacing out.
Reviews
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Cosrx The AHA BHA PHA LHA 35 Peel
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COSRX, Korean-market original
AHA BHA PHA LHA peel, with Salicylic Acid at 2%.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
COSRX verifies units itself. Find the verification page on cosrx.com and enter the batch number and expiration date printed on your unit. Read them off the package rather than from us, which is the point.
Source: COSRX FAQ
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
As we age, the glue that holds our skin cells together becomes denser, which slows down the natural cell turnover process.
Samantha Stein, PA-CDermatology physician assistant, Cleveland Clinic This means that gluconolactone acts as an exfoliating acid, but also as a moisturizer. It has moisturizing, soothing, and lightening properties, working well on dry skin.
Paola PeruginiPhD, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
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