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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Garnier Salicylic Skin Perfecting Liquid Care

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Garnier Salicylic Skin Perfecting Liquid Care This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This acne toner is formulated around

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Garnier Salicylic Skin Perfecting Liquid Care

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

This acne toner is formulated around Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and balance excess oil.

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

Niacinamide

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Glycerin

Squalane

Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Kaolin

Adenosine

Caprylyl Glycol

Lactic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Chlorphenesin

Parfum

Water, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Kaolin, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Salicylic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Parfum

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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.

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. 03Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
  4. 04It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
  5. 05A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
  6. 06In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
  7. 07You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
  8. 08Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
  9. 09Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  10. 10Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  11. 11Though 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.
  12. 12C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
  13. 13In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
  14. 14The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
  15. 15This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
  16. 16It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
  17. 17Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
  18. 18This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
  19. 19Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which …
  20. 20Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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