Side-by-side comparison

The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution vs The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution

Both are exfoliants. They share a 64% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

64%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.

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The Ordinary
Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution
ExfoliantBudgetEvening only
DullnessRough TextureCongestion

A 7% glycolic acid toner with aloe, ginseng and Tasmanian pepperberry to temper sting. A cult budget AHA for glow and texture; potent enough that it's a once-every-few-days step, not a daily toner, and demands daytime SPF.

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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 The Ordinary leans toward Congestion.

The overlap

What they share

At 64% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Glycolic 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~50–80%
  • Glycolic Acid~5–25%
  • Rosa Damascena …~3–10%
  • Centaurea Cyanu…~2–6%
  • Aloe Barbadensi…~1.5–4%

● 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 SpotsDullness, Rough Texture, Congestion
Usage notesEvening onlyEvening only
Active overlap64% — Glycolic Acid
Questions

Common questions

Is the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution or the The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution better?
Neither is clearly better — they overlap 64% 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 Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution?
Both are exfoliants that share Glycolic Acid. Where they differ: the The Ordinary targets Dark Spots; the The Ordinary targets Congestion.
Are the The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution and The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution dupes for each other?
They share 64% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Glycolic 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 Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toning Solution 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.
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