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Nø Cosmetics Liquid Refiner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Nø Cosmetics Liquid Refiner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Resveratrol to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Nø Cosmetics Liquid Refiner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Resveratrol to refine skin texture 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

Propylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Succinic Acid

Sodium PCA

Resveratrol

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Phospholipids

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Superoxide Dismutase

Xanthan Gum

Phytic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Succinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Resveratrol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Superoxide Dismutase, Xanthan Gum, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

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.

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.

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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. 03Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
  4. 04Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
  5. 05This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
  6. 06A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
  7. 07Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
  8. 08Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
  9. 09Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
  10. 10Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  11. 11Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  12. 12It plays several roles in a formula:
  13. 13Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  14. 14Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  15. 15However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  16. 16Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
  17. 17Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
  18. 18Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
  19. 19This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
  20. 20A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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