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Paula's Choice Clear Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution Versus Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

Paula's Choice Clear Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution Versus Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment This acne exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores. This acne treatment is formulated around Salic

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Clear Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution Versus Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

This acne exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.

This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Salicylic Acid 2%

Water

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol

Propylene Glycol

PEG-75 Stearate

PEG-8

Salicylic Acid

Glycerin

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Sea Whip Extract

Arginine

Disodium EDTA

Propylene Glycol, PEG-75 Stearate, PEG-8, Water, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Arginine, Polysorbate 20, Disodium 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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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 Advanced Smooting Treatment 10% AHAIngredients 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. 06Butylene 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.
  7. 07BG’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…
  8. 08It’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.
  9. 09It’s the most researched AHA with the most proven skin benefits
  10. 10It gently lifts off dead skin cells to reveal newer, fresher, smoother skin
  11. 11It can help skin’s own collagen production that results in firmer, younger skin
  12. 12It can fade brown spots caused by sun damage or PIH
  13. 13Choose a product where you know the concentration and pH value because these two greatly influence effectiveness
  14. 14Don’t forget to use your sunscreen (in any case but especially so next to an AHA product)
  15. 15Slight stinging or burning with a stronger AHA product is normal
  16. 16If your skin is very sensitive, rosacea prone choose rather a BHA or PHA product
  17. 17A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  18. 18A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  19. 19Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  20. 20Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
Source · incidecoder.com ⟶
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Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

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