Side-by-side comparison

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution vs The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA

Both are exfoliants. They share a 70% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

70%Active overlap
The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
ExfoliantBudgetEvening only
Rough TextureDullnessDark SpotsSensitive skinDamaged barrier

A 10-minute weekly peel at professional strength — glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric and salicylic acids stacked together. Not a daily product; once or twice a week maximum, never on broken or actively irritated skin. The red colour is tasmannia fruit, not blood.

Full analysis →Find dupes →
The Ordinary
Lactic Acid 10% + HA
ExfoliantBudgetEvening only
Rough TextureDullnessDamaged barrier

Mid-strength lactic acid exfoliant with tasmannia fruit extract for calming and hyaluronic acid for hydration. Lactic is gentler than glycolic and humectant at the same time — a friendly intermediate AHA for texture work.

Full analysis →Find dupes →
The verdict

Which should you choose?

Both sit in the Budget tier, so cost isn't the deciding factor here — choose on texture, finish and the supporting ingredients. The The Ordinary leans toward Dark Spots.

The overlap

What they share

At 70% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Lactic Acid
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

The Ordinary — top of the list

  • Aqua (Water)~50–80%
  • Glycolic Acid30%
  • Aloe Barbadens…~3–10%
  • Salicylic Acid2%

The Ordinary — top of the list

  • Aqua (Water)~50–80%
  • Lactic Acid10%
  • Glycerin~3–10%
  • Pentylene Glycol~2–6%
  • Arginine~1.5–4%
  • Potassium Citr…~1–2%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

The OrdinaryThe Ordinary
CategoryExfoliantExfoliant
Price tierBudgetBudget
Best forRough Texture, Dullness, Dark SpotsRough Texture, Dullness
Usage notesEvening onlyEvening only
Active overlap70% — Lactic Acid
Questions

Common questions

Is the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution or the The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA better?
Neither is clearly better — they overlap 70% on active ingredients and sit in the same price tier. The difference comes down to texture, finish and the supporting ingredients, so the right choice depends on your skin type and preferences.
What's the difference between the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and the The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA?
Both are exfoliants that share Lactic Acid. Where they differ: the The Ordinary targets Dark Spots.
Are the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA dupes for each other?
They share 70% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Lactic Acid. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA together?
They both fill the exfoliant slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
Keep comparing

Related comparisons

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
77% overlapFirst Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
77% overlapMedicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0 vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
77% overlapPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
77% overlapCOSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
66% overlapPaula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
66% overlap

Want a deeper, personalised read? Drop both products into the live comparison tool for an ingredient-by-ingredient breakdown tuned to your skin profile.

Compare these yourself →