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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This smoothing serum i

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Biossance Squalane + 10% Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

This smoothing serum is formulated around Lactic Acid and Squalane to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

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

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Lactic Acid

Squalane

Glycerin

Cetearyl Olivate

Propanediol

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Acacia Senegal Gum

Sodium Gluconate

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Linalool

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Squalane, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Olivate, Propanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Linalool

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.

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. 03Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  4. 04Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  5. 05Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  6. 06Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate is a lightweight synthetic emollient that also helps improve how a product feels and spreads.
  7. 07In a formula, it's a workhorse that:
  8. 08The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics and found to be a non-ocular (eye) irritant at 100% in rabbits.
  9. 09Usage levels vary depending on product type; industry surveys report it around 2.2% in baby products, 19.5% in hair sprays, and 1-20% in skincare.
  10. 10Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  11. 11It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
  12. 12On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
  13. 13Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  14. 14You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
  15. 15Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  16. 16Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
  17. 17Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
  18. 18Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).
  19. 19It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.
  20. 20That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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