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First Aid Beauty 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Clearing Pads Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

First Aid Beauty 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Clearing Pads Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This acne treatment pad uses a pre-saturated pad with Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil to clear breakouts and balance excess oil. This smoothing

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

First Aid Beauty 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Clearing Pads Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This acne treatment pad uses a pre-saturated pad with Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.

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

Polysorbate 80

Phenoxyethanol

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Citrate

Kaolin

Salix Nigra Bark Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Glycerin

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Capryloyl Glycine

Hexylene Glycol

Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract

Citric Acid

Oleanolic Acid

Water, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Kaolin, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Capryloyl Glycine, Hexylene Glycol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Oleanolic Acid

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

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.

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.

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!

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
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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. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06This 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.
  7. 07Because 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).
  8. 08In 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!).
  9. 09Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
  10. 10Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
  11. 11While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
  12. 12This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
  13. 13Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  14. 14Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  15. 15Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  16. 16Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  17. 17Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
  18. 18However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  19. 19Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
  20. 20In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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