An intensified exfoliating treatment with a higher concentration of glycolic acid, designed to provide stronger chemical exfoliation.
Guru Score
The Guru Score: every expert's verdict on a product, in one simple number.
Under the score you'll see how many experts weighed in, or "Early verdict" while only a few have. Paid takes count for half in the score.
Guru Certified means at least 6 experts, a score of 85% or more, and almost no Nays.
How we score →Mixed
Early verdict · Few reviews so farWhat the gurus are saying
Experts split on whether stronger exfoliation comes without irritation. The higher glycolic acid earns praise for delivering more noticeable exfoliation while staying gentle, though concerns persist that the increased potency adds irritation rather than improves skin.
What they liked
What they flagged
Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
An intensified exfoliating treatment with a higher concentration of glycolic acid, designed to provide stronger chemical exfoliation.
The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 69%.
SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Intensive holds a Guru Score of 69%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.
Lower-priced products in the same category that the experts still rate highly.
See how they stack up →Other products the same gurus have weighed in on, plus more from this brand and category.
Compare side by side →Stories where our editors dug into this product or its brand.
Spotted something on this page that doesn't look right? Let us know.
A weekly read of the takes worth catching up on: the raves, the splits, the ones the gurus won't shut up about. Free, no spam, unsubscribe whenever.
Subscribe to the digest