FREE STANDARD SHIPPING AND FREE SAMPLE FOR ALL DOMESTIC ORDERS OVER $50

Lactic Acid + Gluconolactone

Baby Steps Gentle Exfoliation Treatment

Who said chemical exfoliants aren't for dry skin and sensitive skin types? Baby Step's 30% PHA gluconolactone and 15% AHA lactic acid make this formula ideal to obtain a smoother, brighter complexion in the most gentle of ways. This treatment doubles as a nightly booster or as a once-a-week rinse-off mask. Exfoliant customizability right at your fingertips!

Details

How to use

The chemists designed Baby Steps for the following skin types - dry skin, sensitive skin, acid beginners, and those that have struggled with other exfoliating treatments that used glycolic and salicylic acid. No skin type gets left out!

NIGHTLY SERUM

Add one drop to your serum or moisturizer step and mix for a gentle, nightly exfoliating experience to keep cell turnover running smoothly.

ONCE A WEEK WASH-OFF MASK MOMENT

For a more potent experience, after your cleansing step, apply a thin layer to dry skin and let it sit for 10 minutes of me-time. Wash-off and follow with the rest of your normal routine.

Pssst...did you know?

Baby Steps was the second formula that has gone through our Incubator. Participants that self-identified as dry or sensitive skin type tested Baby Steps and the combo of 30% gluconolactone & 15% lactic acid was chosen as the winner. Join the club and trial the latest formulas the chemists are working on!

use baby steps as a booster mixed with aquafixapply baby steps all over face as a rinse off maskglowy skin after using baby steps

Ingredients List & Actives Profiles

You shouldn’t need a degree in chemistry to take care of your skin. But, to be clear, someone needs the degree.

What's a PHA?

30% Gluconolactone

PHA’s are bigger molecules, making them a gentle alternative to AHAs. Despite its gentle nature, gluconolactone has shown benefits in combating the effects of photoaging on skin. Curious about the deets? Learn more here!

Lactic Acid (AHA)

This AHA’s molecular weight is one size up from glycolic acid, making lactic acid the gentler alternative to the classic chemical exfoliation. Fun fact! It's naturally found in your skin at low levels as a hydrator as well.

The Other Stuff

All of our exfoliant boosters contain a beautifully pigmented plant extract to help you visualize your dose of AHA/PHA. Baby Step's fun orange-pink hue comes from good 'ol sweet potatoes.

🧪 incubator tested & Approved

🚫 Freedoms & Friendlies

Fragrance Free, Vegan, Cruelty Free

Our Philosophy & Impact

Reviews

Related

What's a PHA in Skincare & How to Use

In our final podcast episode of 2021, we dedicated the meat of the episode on a chemical exfoliants update. That’s the alphabet clan of PHAs, AHAs, and BHA, and it resulted in a lot of curiosity about PHAs. Though PHA research is still relatively new and not as well-studied as classic glycolic acid, there’s still some really exciting data that validates it’s use as an exfoliator. In fact, we like gluconolactone so much we use 30% of it in our Baby Steps exfoliating treatment! So let’s do a de...

Read more

Alpha Hydroxy Acids: Your Skin's AHA Moment

You can find AHAs in a wide range of products from cleansers to night creams. Just what are AHAs anyway? AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid — a class of water-soluble weak acids that has a long history of use and proven skin benefits. Some commonly used in skincare are: glycolic, lactic, malic, citric, mandelic, and tartaric acid. It's one of our "big 4" actives that we swear by. We love AHAs so much, we developed a whole line of booster masks starring our favorite AHAs. So let's take a look a...

Read more
Visit Our Education Section

We can teach you to build a routine that works for you

Personalize your skincare routine with our modular products. Welcome to scientific skincare without the crazy markup and crazier claims.

Our story
Holiday Special Offers
Save $85 with the 8-piece Chemists' Wonderland Kit
Shop Now
Get 20% OFF when you order 2+ products. Code: BUNDLEME
Shop Now
the experiment kit with  double play retinol
Save up to 30% on our seasonal curated bundles
Shop Now
Get $29 OFF our Bestsellers Bundle. No code necessary
Shop now