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Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Exfoliating Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Exfoliating Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Niacinamide and Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water to refine skin texture and clear breakouts.

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Exfoliating Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Niacinamide and Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water to refine skin texture and clear breakouts.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Lens Esculenta Seed Extract

Hamamelis Virginiana Extract

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract

Swiftlet Nest Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Fructan

Allantoin

Adenosine

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Xylitol

Salicylic Acid

Lactobionic Acid

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

1,2-Hexanediol

Benzyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Raspberry Ketone

Mentha Piperita Oil

Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Swiftlet Nest Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fructan, Allantoin, Adenosine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Xylitol, Salicylic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Mentha Piperita Oil

Methylpropanediol

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

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

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.

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.

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.

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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. 03C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
  4. 04In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
  5. 05The 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.
  6. 06This 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.
  7. 07It'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.
  8. 08Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
  9. 09This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
  10. 10Think 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 …
  11. 11Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
  12. 12The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
  13. 13In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
  14. 14So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
  15. 15Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
  16. 16Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
  17. 17In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
  18. 18While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
  19. 19Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
  20. 20This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

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03

Comparison edit

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