Best overall
Paula's Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
8.6Excellent
The cult 2% salicylic acid leave-on exfoliant: reliably unclogs pores and smooths texture, with irritation the main risk.
Toner5$37.00
Renew · Texture
Smoothing
25 products we review are built for smoothing — 16% of them devices & tools. The ingredients doing most of the work: glycerin, hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid. Most are made for normal skin, combination skin and dry skin.
Fine lines, firmness and texture: retinoids, peptides and gentle resurfacing.
Top rated
The smoothing podium.
The ingredients behind it
Key actives in the products that deliver smoothing — tap one for what it does and how strong the evidence is.
Often paired with
Benefits that tend to come along for the ride.
25 products
Every smoothing pick.
25 products
Best overall
AmLactin
Daily Nourish Lotion with 12% Lactic Acid
8.4Great
The dermatologist-favorite 12% lactic acid body lotion that smooths rough, dry skin cheaply, though it can sting.
Body lotion4$19.99
Best overall
Differin
Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
8.3Great
The formerly prescription-only 0.1% adapalene gel, now OTC: a proven, inexpensive acne retinoid that demands patience through dryness.
Gel5
Derm favorite
CeraVe
SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin
8.3Great
A fragrance-free salicylic and lactic acid cream with ceramides that reliably softens rough, bumpy skin for a drugstore price.
Cream4$25.99
Best value
Tree Hut
Moroccan Rose Shea Sugar Scrub
8.2Great
A cheap, generous sugar scrub with shea butter, plant oils and a rose scent, popular for softening dry body skin.
Body scrub4$9.99
Best value Trending
The Ordinary
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
8.1Great
The viral red 10-minute at-home peel: strong, cheap and effective on texture, but only for experienced, non-sensitive skin.
Peel5$9.50
Community favorite
CurrentBody
LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 2
8.1Great
A flexible silicone red and near-infrared LED mask with simple 10-minute sessions; the Series 3 has since taken the flagship slot.
Device5$470
Best value Trending
Beauty of Joseon
Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide
8.0Great
A cushiony propolis-and-niacinamide serum with a low price and a devoted following for glow, calm and smoother-looking pores.
Serum5$17.00
Best value Trending
The Ordinary
Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner
8.0Great
A cheap, effective daily glycolic toner for smoother, brighter skin, best for resilient skin that already tolerates acids.
Toner4$9.00
Medik8
Crystal Retinal 6
7.9Good
A gentle, well-formulated 0.06% retinal night serum for regular vitamin A users, priced well above budget retinal alternatives.
Serum5$87.00
Best value Trending
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
7.9Good
A $6 cult niacinamide serum that helps many oily, blemish-prone users with shine and pores, though a vocal minority reports breakouts.
Serum5$6.00
Best value
Omnilux
Omnilux Contour Face
7.9Good
A flexible, FDA-cleared red and near-infrared LED mask from a professional LED maker; one button, one 10-minute program.
Device5$395
Cult favorite Trending
Supergoop!
Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50
7.9Good
The cult clear-gel primer sunscreen, now SPF 50: invisible on every skin tone and makeup-friendly, but pricey per ounce.
SPF 504$38.00
Best overall Trending
K18
Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask
7.8Good
A four-minute, no-rinse peptide treatment with a strong following among bleached hair, priced as one of the costliest repair steps.
Hair mask5$75.00
Community favorite Trending
Moroccanoil
Moroccanoil Treatment Original
7.8Good
The original argan-infused silicone hair oil: reliably smoothing, shiny and versatile, with a signature scent and a premium price.
Hair oil5$50.00
Cult favorite Trending
Kiehl's
Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane
7.8Good
A fragrance-free 4.5% squalane cream that delivers dependable everyday hydration for most skin types at a premium per-ounce cost.
Cream5$39.00
Community favorite
Redken
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo
7.7Good
A sulfate-free, low-pH repair shampoo that colorists rate for softness on damaged hair, best used with the rest of the line.
Shampoo5$37.00
Best value Trending
COSRX
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
7.7Good
An inexpensive low-pH gel wash with a light lather and a tea-tree scent — a solid morning or second cleanse, not a makeup remover.
Cleanser4$14.00
Cult favorite
NuFACE
TRINITY+ Starter Kit Microcurrent Facial Sculpting Device
7.7Good
NuFACE's flagship FDA-cleared microcurrent device: visible same-day lift that lasts only with near-daily, five-minute sessions.
Device3$395
Community favorite
Sol de Janeiro
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream
7.5Good
The cult pistachio-caramel body cream: fast-absorbing and irresistibly scented, but firming results are modest for the price.
Cream5$48.00
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
7.5Good
A hydrating, low-strength PHA + BHA toner that smooths and refines pores gently, at a premium price for its acid dose.
Toner5$36.00
Kiehl's
Avocado Eye Cream
7.4Good
Kiehl's rich avocado oil eye cream (formerly Creamy Eye Treatment) hydrates dry under-eyes well, but it is pricey and heavy for some.
Cream5$40.00
Splurge
Drunk Elephant
Protini Polypeptide Firming Refillable Moisturizer
7.3Good
A fragrance-free peptide gel-cream with nine signal peptides and amino acids, pleasant to use but hard to justify on price alone.
Gel-cream5$72.00
Viral
Solawave
4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand with Red Light Therapy
7.2Good
A pocket-size red light, warmth, galvanic and vibration wand that feels pleasant to use; reviewers find the results subtle.
Device5$169