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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Pal

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus Medik8 Liquid Peptides

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Carnosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

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

Inulin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Carnosine

Carbomer

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Citric Acid

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Sodium Benzoate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tetrapeptide-21

Pentapeptide-18

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Pantolactone

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Glyceryl Caprylate

Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Phenylpropanol

Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14

Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate

Potassium Sorbate

Xanthan Gum

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Inulin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Carnosine, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tetrapeptide-21, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pantolactone, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum

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.

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. 03Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
  4. 04Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
  5. 05Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
  6. 06In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
  7. 07There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
  8. 08Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
  9. 09A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
  10. 10The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
  11. 11Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
  12. 12Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
  13. 13Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
  14. 14What it does:
  15. 15Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
  16. 16Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
  17. 17Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
  18. 18This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
  19. 19Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
  20. 20Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Paula's Choice Resist Bha 9

Paula's Choice Resist Bha 9 Paula's Choice Resist Bha 9 ingredients explained: Propylene Glycol, PEG-75, PEG-8, Water, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Butylene …

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03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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