Ingredient glossary
Alpha Lipoic Acid
On your shelf ✓What Alpha Lipoic Acid does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Alpha Lipoic Acid · Also: Thioctic acid, ALA
In short: Alpha Lipoic Acid delivers antioxidant and anti-aging support, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is strong. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant.
- What it does
- Antioxidant, anti aging
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant
- Evidence
- Strong
The molecule
The Glow take
Genuinely worth a spot in your routine.
When your goal is softening fine lines and keeping skin firm, Alpha Lipoic Acid pulls genuine weight, and the research properly backs it up. Gentle enough that most skin types can reach for it.
— Maya
What it does
- antioxidant
- anti aging
- brightening
strong evidenceRandomised double blind trials with 5 percent alpha lipoic acid cream twice daily for about 12 weeks show significant improvement in facial photoageing against placebo, including reduced roughness on profilometry. Pregnancy information is limited.
On a label: usually effective at 0.5-5%.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- mature
- photoaged
- normal
- combo
Approach with care
- very sensitive
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveTake care
Often chosen for mature, photoaged. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
Alpha Lipoic Acid, answered
Is Alpha Lipoic Acid safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. Alpha Lipoic Acid is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid Alpha Lipoic Acid?
Approach Alpha Lipoic Acid with care if any of these apply to you: very sensitive and rare allergy.
What concentration of Alpha Lipoic Acid actually works?
Alpha Lipoic Acid tends to do its job in the 0.5 to 5% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
During pregnancy
Treat Alpha Lipoic Acid as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
Compare Alpha Lipoic Acid with
Can you mix Alpha Lipoic Acid with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.