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Skin science article

Dr.G Brightening Peeling Gel Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Dr.G Brightening Peeling Gel Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This brightening exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture. This smoothing exfoliator is formulat

Dr.G Brightening Peeling Gel Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This brightening exfoliator is formulated around Cellulose and Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

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

Cellulose

Dipropylene Glycol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Allantoin

Panthenol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Propanediol

Arginine

Disodium EDTA

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Glycosphingolipids

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Ascorbic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Potassium Hyaluronate

Water, Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Propanediol, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycosphingolipids, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

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

Reviews

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.

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

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. 03Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
  4. 04Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
  5. 05Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
  6. 06It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
  7. 07Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
  8. 08This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
  9. 09Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
  10. 10Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
  11. 11Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  12. 12The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure …
  13. 13Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  14. 14Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  15. 15It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  16. 16On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
  17. 17Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  18. 18You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
  19. 19Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  20. 20Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

Related product references

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Comparison edit

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