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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse withou

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

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

This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

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

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

PEG-40 Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Potassium Phosphate

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Glyceryl Stearate

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cholesterol

Phenoxyethanol

Disodium EDTA

Dipotassium Phosphate

Tocopherol

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

Cetyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

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. 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. 06Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
  7. 07As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
  8. 08Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  9. 09It 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.
  10. 10On 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.
  11. 11Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  12. 12You'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.
  13. 13Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  14. 14Safety-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.
  15. 15Adverse 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.
  16. 16Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
  17. 17It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
  18. 18This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
  19. 19Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
  20. 20Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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