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Skin science article

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Versus I'm from Mugwort Essence

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Versus I'm from Mugwort Essence This pore-care exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Phytosphingosine to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture. This calming essence is formulated aroun

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Versus I'm from Mugwort Essence

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

This calming essence is formulated around Artemisia Princeps Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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

Artemisia Princeps Extract

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Propanediol

Polyglyceryl-5 Laurate

Water, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-5 Laurate

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.

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 Calm Redness Relief 1% Bha Lotion ExfoliantIngredients 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. 09A so-called fatty (the good, non-drying kind of) alcohol that does all kinds of things in a skincare product: it makes your skin feel smooth and nice (emollient), helps to thicken up products and also helps water and oil to blend (emulsifier). Can b…
  10. 10A super commonly used 5 unit long, cyclic structured silicone that is water-thin and does not stay on the skin but evaporates from it (called volatile silicone). Similar to other silicones, it gives skin and hair a silky, smooth feel.
  11. 11It's often combined with the non-volatile (i.e. stays on the skin) dimethicone as the two together form a water-resistant, breathable protective barrier on the skin without a negative tacky feel.
  12. 12Probably the most common silicone of all. It is a polymer (created from repeating subunits) molecule and has different molecular weight and thus different viscosity versions from water-light to thick liquid.
  13. 13As for skincare, it makes the skin silky smooth, creates a subtle gloss and forms a protective barrier (aka occlusive). Also, works well to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a plump look (of course that is only temporary, but still, it's…
  14. 14As for hair care, it is a non-volatile silicone meaning that it stays on the hair rather than evaporates from it and smoothes the hair like no other thing. Depending on your hair type, it can be a bit difficult to wash out and might cause some build…
  15. 15It's one of the gold standard ingredients for treating problem skin
  16. 16It can exfoliate skin both on the surface and in the pores
  17. 17It's a potent anti-inflammatory agent
  18. 18It's more effective for treating blackheads than acne
  19. 19For acne combine it with antibacterial agents like benzoyl peroxide or azelaic acid
  20. 20We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Source · incidecoder.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Paula's Choice Radiance Renewal Mask

Paula's Choice Radiance Renewal Mask Paula's Choice Radiance Renewal Mask ingredients explained: Water (Aqua), Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fru…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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