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La Roche-Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant This acne treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and refine skin texture. This pore-care exfoliator

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

This acne treatment is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and refine skin texture.

This pore-care exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Phytosphingosine to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Alcohol Denat.

Propanediol

Glycolic Acid

Niacinamide

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

PPG-26-Buteth-26

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Citric Acid

PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Maltodextrin

Phytic Acid

Polyquaternium-10

Parfum

Water, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Citric Acid, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Phytic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Parfum

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Salicylic Acid

Phytosphingosine

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Bisabolol

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Salicylic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Bisabolol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide

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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.

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
& further reading.

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

01

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. 06Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
  7. 07Its main roles are:
  8. 08Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
  9. 09The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
  10. 10This 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.
  11. 11Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  12. 12What it does:
  13. 13Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  14. 14Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  15. 15Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  16. 16This 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.
  17. 17Note: 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.
  18. 18Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  19. 19Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  20. 20Your 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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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