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Augustinus Bader The Essence Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

Augustinus Bader The Essence Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant This smoothing essence is formulated around Gluconolactone and Phytic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. This pore-care exfoliator is formulated ar

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Augustinus Bader The Essence Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

This smoothing essence is formulated around Gluconolactone and Phytic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

This pore-care exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Phytosphingosine to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Gluconolactone

Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract

Phytic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Potassium Sorbate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Salicylic Acid

Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract

Papain

Citric Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Maltodextrin

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Carbomer

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Algin

Alanyl Glutamine

Arginine

Oligopeptide-177

Phenylalanine

Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil

Sodium Chloride

Water, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Lactobacillus/Wasabia Japonica Root Ferment Extract, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Papain, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Algin, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Phytosphingosine

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Bisabolol

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Salicylic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Bisabolol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide

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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.

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.

Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.

Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, it’s still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

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!

Similar Comparisons

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

Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex MoisturizerIngredients explained

  1. 01Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
  2. 02It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
  3. 03Expand to read more
  4. 04Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
  5. 05One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
  6. 06Unless you live under a rock you must have heard about shea butter. It's probably the most hyped up natural butter in skincare today. It comes from the seeds of African Shea or Karite Trees and used as a magic moisturizer and emollient.
  7. 07But it's not only a simple emollient, it regenerates and soothes the skin, protects it from external factors (such as UV rays or wind) and is also rich in antioxidants (among others vitamin A, E, F, quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate). If you ar…
  8. 08We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
  9. 09Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. It’s a great pick for creating a nice feeling product.
  10. 10BG’s main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin (penetration enhancer), making the product spread nicely over the skin (slip agent), and attracting…
  11. 11It’s an ingredient whose safety hasn’t been questioned so far by anyone (at least not that we know about). BG is approved by Ecocert and is also used enthusiastically in natural products. BTW, it’s also a food additive.
  12. 12A biodegradable emollient that gives a fresh gliding sensation and a powdery after feel. It works well with all kinds of oils including natural and silicone oils.
  13. 13A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  14. 14A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  15. 15Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  16. 16Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  17. 17High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
  18. 18A super common, waxy, white, solid stuff that helps water and oil to mix together, gives body to creams and leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth.
  19. 19Chemically speaking, it is the attachment of a glycerin molecule to the fatty acid called stearic acid. It can be produced from most vegetable oils (in oils three fatty acid molecules are attached to glycerin instead of just one like here) in a pret…
  20. 20It also occurs naturally in our body and is used as a food additive. As cosmetic chemist Colins writes it, "its safety really is beyond any doubt".
Source · incidecoder.com ⟶
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