Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant Versus The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant Versus The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant versus The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. This smoothing toner is formulated around Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin. Water Butylene Glycol Polysorbate 20 Cetyl Alcohol Salicylic Acid Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer Cyclopentasiloxane Sorbitan Stearate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Lauric Acid Allantoin Glycerin Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Epilobium Angustifolium Extract Dimethicone Xanthan Gum Magnesium Aluminum Silicate PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Disodium EDTA Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Caprylyl Glycol Water, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sorbitan Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lauric Acid, Allantoin, Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol Glycolic Acid Rosa Damascena Flower Water Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water Propanediol Triethanolamine Aminomethyl Propanol Panax Ginseng Root Extract Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract Aspartic Acid Alanine Glycine Serine Valine Isoleucine Proline Threonine Histidine Phenylalanine Glutamic Acid Arginine PCA Sodium PCA Sodium Lactate Fructose Glucose Sucrose Urea Hexyl Nicotinate Dextrin Citric Acid Gellan Gum Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Sodium Chloride Potassium Sorbate Sodium Benzoate 1,2-Hexanediol Water, Glycolic Acid, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Aminomethyl Propanol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Alanine, Glycine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, PCA, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, Urea, Hexyl Nicotinate, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Gellan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Chloride, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created. Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin. Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on). Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum. Topically, glycerin does several things at once: Your 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. Aquaporin-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. This 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. Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity. Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine. Hexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster. It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily. As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin. Interestingly, 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%. This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing. A 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. 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 t