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#OOTD (oxygen of the day) AHA BHA Clarifying Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

#OOTD (oxygen of the day) AHA BHA Clarifying Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing toner is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Gluconolactone to refine skin texture and clear breakouts. This smoothing exfoliator i

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

#OOTD (oxygen of the day) AHA BHA Clarifying Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing toner is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Gluconolactone to refine skin texture and clear breakouts.

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

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Glycerin

Sodium Citrate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Propanediol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA

Salicylic Acid

Gluconolactone

Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract

Glycolic Acid

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Oligopeptide-32

Oligopeptide-29

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Salicylic Acid, Gluconolactone, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Glycolic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-29, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Methylpropanediol

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.

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.

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

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. 06Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  7. 07Like 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.
  8. 08However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  9. 09Due 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.
  10. 10In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
  11. 11While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
  12. 12Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
  13. 13Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
  14. 14However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's…
  15. 15Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  16. 16Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  17. 17Your 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.
  18. 18Aquaporin-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.
  19. 19This 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.
  20. 20Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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