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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Lac

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Versus The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA

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

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Lactic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer 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

Lactic Acid

Glycerin

Pentylene Glycol

Propanediol

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract

Acacia Senegal Gum

Xanthan Gum

Isoceteth-20

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Ethylhexylglycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol

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!

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. 06Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  7. 07Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  8. 08Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
  9. 09Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
  10. 10This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
  11. 11Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  12. 12Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  13. 13Hexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
  14. 14It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
  15. 15As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
  16. 16Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
  17. 17This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
  18. 18A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
  19. 19Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
  20. 20It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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