Pretty much everyone dreams of radiant skin, right? I know I do. That fresh, dewy, and healthy look is just so sought after. We'll do anything to make it happen. But most

of us, unfortunately, aren't born with naturally radiant skin. I don't have too many skin complaints, but I still don't wake up every morning with a glowy face. When my skin goes through its dry spells, my face looks far from it.

But luckily, there are plenty of ingredients and products that can help you get that glow. Glycolic acid is one of them. It's an alpha-hydroxy acid, which is found in food and plant products—glycolic acid comes from sugar cane. "AHAs like glycolic acid are useful in skincare, as they break the bonds between dead skin cells," explains board-certified dermatologist Ife Rodney, MD, FAAD, of Eternal Dermatology and Aesthetics. "Glycolic acid speeds up cell turnover of these surface cells while stimulating new skin cell growth. Because it is a very small molecule, it easily penetrates the skin to give quick results. As it also stimulates collagen production deeper in the skin, it reduces the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, acne scars, and chronic sun damage."