Hydropeptide Exfoliating Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

Hydropeptide Exfoliating Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Acetyl Hexapeptide-30 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

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate

Decyl Glucoside

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Jojoba Esters

Glycerin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Coco-Glucoside

Glyceryl Oleate

Glycolic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides

Citric Acid

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Acetyl Hexapeptide-30

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Nobilis

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Xanthan Gum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Glyceryl Caprylate

Glyceryl Undecylenate

Sodium PCA

Sorbic Acid

Sodium Salicylate

Disodium EDTA

Limonene

Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Glycolic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Citric Acid, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Amaranth Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium PCA, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Salicylic Acid

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

Dimethicone

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium Hydroxide

Hexylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

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

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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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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