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Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Skin Perfecting Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Skin Perfecting Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Skin Perfecting Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

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

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

Propanediol

Glycerin

Salicylic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate

Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate

Allantoin

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Limonene

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactobacillus/Papaya Fruit Ferment Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

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.

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

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. 03This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
  4. 04Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
  5. 05In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
  6. 06Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
  7. 07Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
  8. 08While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
  9. 09This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
  10. 10Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  11. 11Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  12. 12Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  13. 13Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
  14. 14Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
  15. 15This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
  16. 16A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
  17. 17Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
  18. 18Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
  19. 19Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
  20. 20Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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Product index

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