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FaceTheory Glycolacsal Solution T4 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

FaceTheory Glycolacsal Solution T4 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and clear breakouts. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated arou

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

FaceTheory Glycolacsal Solution T4 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and clear breakouts.

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

Glycolic Acid

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Propanediol

Betaine

Glycerin

Sodium Glycolate

Panthenol

Salicylic Acid

Lactic Acid

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Citric Acid

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycolic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Propanediol, Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Glycolate, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Sodium Hydroxide

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.

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. 03Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
  4. 04It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
  5. 05A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
  6. 06In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
  7. 07You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
  8. 08Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
  9. 09C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
  10. 10In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
  11. 11The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
  12. 12This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
  13. 13It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
  14. 14Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
  15. 15This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
  16. 16Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which …
  17. 17Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
  18. 18The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
  19. 19In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
  20. 20So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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