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AlumierMD Eventone Brightening Facial Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

AlumierMD Eventone Brightening Facial Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Phenylethyl Resorcinol to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This smo

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

AlumierMD Eventone Brightening Facial Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This brightening serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Phenylethyl Resorcinol to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Isononyl Isononanoate

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Propanediol

Lentinus Edodes Mycelium Extract

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Oligopeptide-68

Tetrapeptide-14

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract

Aspalathus Linearis Extract

Boswellia Serrata Extract

Honey Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Allantoin

Lecithin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Levulinate

Sodium Oleate

Glycine Soja Oil

Calcium Gluconate

Silicon

Sodium Chloride

Sorbitan Isostearate

Gluconolactone

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Lentinus Edodes Mycelium Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Oligopeptide-68, Tetrapeptide-14, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Honey Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Allantoin, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Oleate, Glycine Soja Oil, Calcium Gluconate, Silicon, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Gluconolactone, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

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Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  7. 07Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
  8. 08However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  9. 09Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
  10. 10In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
  11. 11While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
  12. 12Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
  13. 13Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
  14. 14However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's…
  15. 15Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
  16. 16Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
  17. 17Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
  18. 18Like glycolic acid, it can:
  19. 19Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
  20. 20Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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