Why I’ll Never Be Without The Mila Moursi Refining Lotion

Have I Even Raved About This Yet?

I reached for my Mila Moursi Refining Lotion the other night and thought: have I ever actually raved about this? Turns out, I have—over ten years ago, when the blog (and my SEO skills) were both… developing. So, here we are. Again. Why? Because to keep something in rotation for more than a decade speaks volumes. This is hands down one of the best resurfacing formulas I’ve come across. And yes, I still get excited every time I use it.

Who Is Mila Moursi?

Mila Moursi is a Los Angeles based aesthetician with a fiercely loyal celebrity clientele (Jennifer Aniston, anyone?) and a meticulously edited skincare range under her own name. I first heard of her through industry whispers and had the chance to meet her years ago at a SpaceNK event in New York. She gave me a mini facial, identified the irritated spots I’d been concealing as red skin syndrome, and politely suggested I stop overusing my Dr. Dennis Gross peel pads. She was right. That moment alone recalibrated how I think about exfoliation.

What Is the Refining Lotion?

Despite the name, this is not your everyday lotion. It’s a resurfacing treatment, an exfoliating nighttime serum in silky gel form. Powered by glycolic and lactic acids, it gently dissolves dead skin cells to address uneven texture, dullness, and early signs of discoloration. The clear gel texture includes micro-encapsulated actives and leaves behind the kind of glow that makes you check your reflection twice the next morning. Use it at night, ease in slowly, and don’t forget SPF the next day. It’s what I’d call a controlled glow-up, high performance without the post-peel drama.

What’s in It?

A serious ingredient lineup. Glycolic and lactic acids headline the formula, but it’s not all exfoliation and no care. You’ll also find glycerin, sodium PCA, and hyaluronic acid for hydration, plus allantoin and licorice root extract for calm and balance. A few botanical extracts like camellia, lemon, verbena, and wheat germ, and a soft pearlescent finish elevate the sensorial experience. It feels more like a luxury spa treatment than a clinical exfoliant, and behaves like both.

How I Use It

Nighttime only. I double cleanse, skip any acid toners or peel pads, and apply a full dropper of the Refining Lotion on dry skin. I never layer it with a retinoid — this formula does plenty on its own. That combination would be too much, even for my exfoliation-tolerant skin.

I always follow with a moisturizer, ideally something basic with no added actives, just to seal everything in. On the rare occasion I’ve skipped that step, I’ve woken up with a few dry flakes around my mouth. With a simple cream layered on top, the glow hits by morning and my skin feels balanced. After all these years, I’m still impressed by how well this formula performs. It’s one of the few I’ll never not have in rotation.

What to Layer on Top

Because the Refining Lotion is an active treatment, I always follow with a simple, supportive moisturizer. My go-to picks are formulas that cushion the skin without competing with the exfoliation.

• Bonjout Le Balm – Basic in the best way. This fragrance-free, skin-barrier focused balm layers beautifully and won’t interfere with actives. I wrote a full review here.
• Atopalm MLE Cream – A derm favorite and a dry-skin savior. The multi-lamellar emulsion mimics your skin’s natural barrier, making it ideal post-acid. My thoughts here.
• Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream – If you’re going luxury, this one seals the deal. It’s rich, restorative, and plays well with treatments. You can read more here.

Each of these works as the final step in my nighttime routine when I use the Refining Lotion. No tingling, no pilling, just smooth, well-behaved skin by morning.

Where to get it

$165 (30ml) at nordstrom.com where it’s currently on major sale, so run. You can also find it at neimanmarcus.com and LookFantastic.