Filorga Sleep And Peel Micro-Peeling Night Cream Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

Filorga Sleep And Peel Micro-Peeling Night Cream Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

This smoothing treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Azelaic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycolic Acid

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Glycol Palmitate

Isononyl Isononanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Ceteareth-20

Parfum

Hydrolyzed Wheat Flour

Lauroyl Lysine

Sucrose Palmitate

Sodium Lactate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Tocopheryl Acetate

Azelaic Acid

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Glyceryl Linoleate

Citric Acid

Sodium PCA

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Sodium Chloride

Carbomer

Lactic Acid

Malic Acid

Phytic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Sodium Salicylate

Glucose

Sodium Hyaluronate

Pyruvic Acid

Tartaric Acid

Potassium Chloride

Potassium Sorbate

Calcium Chloride

Magnesium Sulfate

Glutamine

Sodium Phosphate

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Acetate

Tocopherol

Lysine Hcl

Arginine Hcl

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Alanine

Histidine Hcl

Valine

Leucine

Threonine

Isoleucine

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Tryptophan

Phenylalanine

Tyrosine

Glycine

Polysorbate 80

Serine

Cystine

Cyanocobalamin

Glutathione

Asparagine

Aspartic Acid

Ornithine Hcl

Glutamic Acid

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

Proline

Methionine

Taurine

Hydroxyproline

Glucosamine Hcl

Coenzyme A

Sodium Glucuronate

Thiamine Diphosphate

Retinyl Acetate

Inositol

Niacin

Niacinamide

Pyridoxine Hcl

Biotin

Calcium Pantothenate

Riboflavin

Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate

Thiamine Hcl

Folic Acid

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycol Palmitate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Wheat Flour, Lauroyl Lysine, Sucrose Palmitate, Sodium Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopheryl Acetate, Azelaic Acid, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Citric Acid, Sodium PCA, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Phytic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Salicylate, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyruvic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Glutamine, Sodium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Acetate, Tocopherol, Lysine Hcl, Arginine Hcl, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Alanine, Histidine Hcl, Valine, Leucine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Glycine, Polysorbate 80, Serine, Cystine, Cyanocobalamin, Glutathione, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Ornithine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Proline, Methionine, Taurine, Hydroxyproline, Glucosamine Hcl, Coenzyme A, Sodium Glucuronate, Thiamine Diphosphate, Retinyl Acetate, Inositol, Niacin, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Thiamine Hcl, Folic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Cyclopentasiloxane

Sorbitan Stearate

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lauric Acid

Allantoin

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Xanthan Gum

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Hexylene Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sorbitan Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lauric Acid, Allantoin, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

Reviews

Be the first to review

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.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It 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.

On 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.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'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.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-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.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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