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Good Molecules BHA Clarify Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Good Molecules BHA Clarify Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This acne moisturizer is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Centella Asiatica Extract to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores. This smoothing exfoliato

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Good Molecules BHA Clarify Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This acne moisturizer is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Centella Asiatica Extract to clear breakouts 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

Diheptyl Succinate

Glycerin

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Salicylic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Tromethamine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Triethyl Citrate

Benzoic Acid

Allantoin

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil

Bisabolol

Punica Granatum Seed Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Centella Asiatica Extract

Diglucosyl Gallic Acid

T-Butyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Water, Propanediol, Diheptyl Succinate, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Benzoic Acid, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

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

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.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel ExfoliantIngredients explained

  1. 01Good old water, aka H2O. The most common skincare ingredient of all. You can usually find it right in the very first spot of the ingredient list, meaning it’s the biggest thing out of all the stuff that makes up the product.
  2. 02It’s mainly a solvent for ingredients that do not like to dissolve in oils but rather in water.
  3. 03Expand to read more
  4. 04Once inside the skin, it hydrates, but not from the outside - putting pure water on the skin (hello long baths!) is drying.
  5. 05One more thing: the water used in cosmetics is purified and deionized (it means that almost all of the mineral ions inside it is removed). Like this, the products can stay more stable over time.
  6. 06It's a type of glycol that - according to the manufacturer - is an extremely good replacement for other glycols like propylene or butylene glycol. Its main job is to be a solvent, but it has also very good antimicrobial properties and acts as a true…
  7. 07Butylene glycol, or let’s just call it BG, is a multi-tasking colorless, syrupy liquid. It’s a great pick for creating a nice feeling product.
  8. 08BG’s main job is usually to be a solvent for the other ingredients. Other tasks include helping the product to absorb faster and deeper into the skin (penetration enhancer), making the product spread nicely over the skin (slip agent), and attracting…
  9. 09It’s an ingredient whose safety hasn’t been questioned so far by anyone (at least not that we know about). BG is approved by Ecocert and is also used enthusiastically in natural products. BTW, it’s also a food additive.
  10. 10It's a common little helper ingredient that helps water and oil to mix together. Also, it can help to increase the solubility of some other ingredients in the formula.
  11. 11It's one of the gold standard ingredients for treating problem skin
  12. 12It can exfoliate skin both on the surface and in the pores
  13. 13It's a potent anti-inflammatory agent
  14. 14It's more effective for treating blackheads than acne
  15. 15For acne combine it with antibacterial agents like benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid
  16. 16It's a type of lipid, a so-called sphingoid base that can be found naturally in the upper layer of the skin. It's found both in "free-form" and as part of famous skin lipids, ceramides.
  17. 17There is emerging research about Phytosphingosine that shows that it has antimicrobial and cell-communicating properties and is considered part of the skin's natural defense system.
  18. 18A 2007 study showed that Phytosphingosine even works against evil acne-causing bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes and shows promise as a complementing active ingredient in treating acne-prone skin thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial act…
  19. 19A nice one to spot in the ingredient list. :)
  20. 20A nice little helper ingredient that can thicken up cosmetic products and create beautiful gel formulas. It's derived from cellulose, the major component of the cell wall of green plants. It is compatible with most co-ingredients and gives a very go…
Source · incidecoder.com ⟶
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Comparison edit

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