Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Review: Why You Should Avoid It
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It doesn’t help that Nathan just resigned today as well (he was my favorite on the Paula’s Choice research team).
You see, I understand they’re a great company. I understand they formulate products well. I understand they look at research. And I understand they use ingredients that work. But their products simply don’t work for my skin (stick around for photos to see what I mean). I guess I’m just terribly unlucky.
Anyhow, let’s break down one of their most popular products: the Paula’s Choice 2% Skin Perfecting BHA Liquid Exfoliate, then I’ll tell you why I’m not a fan of it.
Ingredients and Benefits.
A short ingredient list this one has. It’s actually one of the reasons this BHA appealed to me. I figured, “hey, looks innocent enough, I doubt such a minimal ingredient list will cause me problems.” Anyway, check it out.
Water, Methylpropanediol (hydrator/penetration enhancer), Butylene Glycol (slip agents/penetration enhancers), Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid/exfoliant), Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (anti-irritant/antioxidant), Polysorbate-20 (solubilizing agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH balancer), Tetrasodium EDTA (chelating agent)
There isn’t much to break down here, but let’s do it anyway.
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2% Salicylic Acid
A beta hydroxy acid, naturally occurring plant hormone, and chemical exfoliant. It can be found in foods likes fruit juices, vegetables, herbs, tea, wine, spices etc., and may play a role in reducing the risk of butthole cancer. (1, 2, 3)
Sorry, I’m immature. I meant “colon cancer.”
As a topical, research has shown it’s an effective acne treatment because it contains bacteriostatic (anti-bacterial), comedolytic (unclogs pores), kertolytic (removes dead skin), and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it addresses all major causes of acne. (4) What makes salicylic acid even more particularly elegant, is it’s ability to control fungal conditions like pityrosporum folliculitis as well. (5)
Additionally, salicylic acid peels have been shown to reduce hyperpigmentation, and unlike AHAs (another kind of chemical exfoliant), it doesn’t cause sun-induced erythema (redness). (6, 7, 8, 9, 10) In fact, it might even provide some photoprotective properties! (11, 12, 13, 14)
So yeah, just an overall great ingredient for skin and treating acne.
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Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
A great natural antioxidant, and an effective wart treatment. (15, 16) It smooths skin, reduces roughness, has anti-aging benefits, provides photoprotection, and controls sebum (oil) production. (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
And that’s it for ingredients. It’s really just those two that that are pulling the weight in this formula. Everything else is little more than necessary filler. For example, the butylene glycol is used to dissolve the salicylic acid, sodium hydroxide is to adjust the pH, methylpropanediol is to make the product penetrate deeper etc.
So what’s my beef with it?
It’s drying beyond belief! Sheesh. To give you an example, my hands are really freaking tough and have hardy skin. Just look at em!
Yet despite this, if I pour the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid into my palms I’ll have peeling skin there within the next couple days! (Note: I don’t use cotton pads because it waste product.) It’s absolutely nuts. And that’s my hands we’re talking about! You can only imagine what it does to my face.
Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to use this consistently enough to notice results, because I had to constantly take breaks so it wouldn’t wreak havoc on my skin. Even using it two or three times a week would give me flakeys like no other! My spirit animal is basically a lizard when I’m on this stuff.
And to make matters worse, it never did anything for my clogged pores. I tried and tried. Sometimes, even spot treating a few days consecutively just in places were the stubborn closed comedones were, and they never budged.
Worse of all…
It once completely nuked my acid mantle and moisture barrier!
Cringe. Just looking at that photo gives me the chills. If you didn’t know what over-exfoliation looks like. Enjoy. Can you believe I was only using it 4 times a week when that occurred?
UPDATE 5/15/2017: I also found out this product broke me out because it contains polysorbate-20, which aggravates the fungal skin sensitivities I have. If you want to read more about how to treat “fungal acne,” or adult acne that is incredibly stubborn, check out this guide I wrote that took me 3 months to finish!
Now back to our scheduled programming….
So… what I’m trying to say here is…. I don’t like this product. And the thing is, I didn’t even realize how bad it was for my skin until I tried the COSRX BHA. I shit you not, within a week of using that a closed comedone I had for months shot right out of my face! I was beginning to accept that it was just going to be part of my skin, but nope! COSRX was like, “hell nah man, I gotchu.”
As an aside, I will be doing a full review on the COSRX BHA in the future. UPDATE: Here it is.
It’s my absolute holy grail BHA product. It’s gentle (uses betaine salicylate instead of salicylic acid), contains niacinamide, and is even a bit moisturizing because the addition of hyaluronic acid. So, if you came into this review thinking of buying the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA liquid, I highly recommend you try the COSRX BHA instead.
UPDATE 7/4/17: If you’re looking for a true salicylic acid product (not betaine salicylate) then I recommend the good ole’ trusty stridex. My full review can be found here. It’s quite literally the only BHA I’ve tried that worked really well for me.
Many people find that the COSRX BHA is too gentle to eliminate blackheads and decongest pores. There’s also been controversy as of late, regarding it’s efficacy after a recent reformulation.
Application, Feel, and Scent.
Not gonna lie, this is yet another reason I’m not a fan of this product. It leaves you looking like an oily mess.
It has a very watery consistency, but somehow adheres to the skin just slightly which makes it hard to spread evenly across the face. And once it is spread, it just sits there! The difference between the second and third photo was literally 20 minutes! As you can see, it takes forever and a day to dry (if it ever does), and leaves you looking like an oil skillet regardless.
Did I mention it smells like dirty tires too? Well yeah, it stinks. Can’t say I’d like a cologne in Paula’s Choice BHA scent.
The Takeaway.
- Ingredients: 3/5
Nothing out of the ordinary or groundbreaking here. Just contains salicylic acid and green tea extract, as far as the beneficial ingredients go.
- Benefits: 3/5
Salicylic acid is supposed to have a myriad of benefits, but this product is so irritating and drying it’s hard to imagine it will do much for those with sensitive skin. If you have tough oily skin, this might be better suited for you.
- Application: 2/5
Leaves an oily residue that adheres to the skin, and doesn’t spread easily across the face. Smells like ass.
- Packaging: 4/5
A pump dispenser would have been nicer, but I’m already complaining too much here so I’ll give it a 4 star out of pity.
- Value: 3/5
Getting pretty damn expensive for what you get. On the upside, if this product works for you then it will last you foreverrrr.
Overall: 3.0/5 (Not impressed. That’d be a D- in school. I use to get spanked for getting D-‘s.)
(Symbolic photo of Paula’s Choice BHA in dead grass, because that’s how dead my skin was after using it.)
Can’t say I recommend the Paula’s Choice 2% Skin Perfecting BHA Liquid Exfoliate. But hey, remember that everyone’s skin is different. Just cause it didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work wonders for you.
If you’re still on the lookout for a solid BHA product, I don’t think you can go wrong with stridex pads (see on Amazon)! These things have been around for 50+ years and have a long history of efficacy. To this day, they’re the only salicylic acid product I’ve used that worked for my skin.
Welp, that does it for this one ladies and gentlemen. Please don’t hate me for being so negative. :'( I am more than aware of the cult following Paula’s Choice has, so I’m hoping people don’t come looking for me after this review. If I suddenly go missing…. Y’all know why.
Sincerely,
—f.c.
Tell your friends about… on second thought. Yeah, never mind. Don’t share this.
Holy shit, you use WAY too much of that product! No wonder it did that much damage to your skin, even when you only used it 4 times a week. You’re supposed to only apply three drops max when applying it to your face, but seeing how you used it on your hands, it looks like you just poured it on. When you use that tiny amount, the product isn’t oily at all either
I understand. However, I’ve been using Paula’s Choice BHA for years and I love it. I believe the problem is using you are using too much product. I suggest using less, less is more. I only use a 2 or 3 drops once maybe twice a day. The gel is definitely oilier, I agree, but if you use only a little as intended followed by moisturize it’s fine. Always moisturize. Honestly, it’s best product I’ve every used, and her best selling product. Every asks what I use because my skin is so smooth and clear. 🙂 Maybe it’s just not right for you as everyone is different. I did enjoy reading your post even though we feel differently. Thank you. 🙂
Sorry, I don’t want to come across as a cult follower lol, but Paula talks about these symptoms with her BHA products. I’m also not sure if it’s fair to try this on your hand when it is made for the face, but maybe. Did you try a 1% instead of a 2% solution? Paula also says, if you’re experiencing these symptoms then you probably need to use it less. I have SUPER sensitive skin and rosacea and this product has been a boon for me. It also depends on why you need it. These symptoms you mention are caused by a BHA product being PROPERLY formulated (3-4 pH) for exfoliation. If all you need it for is acne, then maybe other products will work but aren’t formulated to also exfoliate well – chances are they are not. My understanding is that these symptoms come from that formulation. Paula also talks about the fact that these products can initially cause a bout of increased acne but that’s normal. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you but it’s not because this is a bad product.
So glad I found your article, but it’s only because I’m about 2 weeks too late 🙁
I had started using a Paula’s Choice skin care routine because I noticed my 32-year-old face was becoming dull and not as “tight” as I’d like. So I did some research and everything pretty much lead to Paula’s Choice. I gave them a try.
I started using the following (in order):
1. Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser
2. Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner
3. Skin Perfecting 2%BHA Liquid
4. Resist C5 Booster mixed with Resist Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum
5. Hydralight Shine-Free Daily Mineral Complex (morning)/Moisture Boost Hydrating Treatment Cream (night)
At first, I thought things were going well. I noticed about 3 days in, I could barely move my face. It was SOOOO DRY! I thought the stuff was working because, duh, I wanted my skin to be firmer. So I chatted with PC customer service and they said to do the 2%BHA every other day. I questioned the dryness and asked if I should put on some other moisturizer because it’s really dry: “No, no need for that because you use the serum.” Ok, sure… About 2 days after that (still not even touching the BHA), I developed this red rash on both my cheeks. It didn’t itch, but I was shocked. Contacted PC customer service again. They stated my skin was probably just dry and to just discontinue the BHA for 2 weeks… but I had already stopped applying it? Anyway, 2 days after that, ITCH ITCH ITCH! The rash began to itch, traveled to my ear lobes and now on my neck. Guzzling Zyrtec and Benadryl for 7+ days, constantly applying hydrocortisone cream. Nothing was working. I contacted PC customer service again and they first questioned my “reaction” asking to make sure I had pimples coming to the surface of my skin. I guess because I might not know what an allergic reaction is *insert eye roll here*. So I explained my symptoms and they came back with “Oh, ok. Yes, that’s definitely an allergic reaction. Please discontinue all products.” DUH! Did that a few days ago… they did refund me but it’s been almost 3 weeks in and I’m still suffering. I’ve gotten the itching under control, no longer needing to take antihistamines, but the rash still lives and I feel like I’ve just ruined my skin. I’ve been double-cleansing my face with just Jojoba oil, but afterwards also applying Jojoba oil, coconut oil, emu oil, shea butter.. anything to help get rid of the redness and bring the moisture back and nothing seems to be. I’m at a loss at what to do. If you have any suggestions, please help!!
in my case i cannot use the cosrx bha on my face. it caused huge pimples (largest i’ve ever experienced in my life ) on my face and it is not purging because they were f****** huge and on areas ofmy face where i never break out and paula’s choice 4% foam bha does not cause acne. the cosrx bha is a different form of bha which is weaker but it also incompatible with my skin. patch testing is so important.
I didn’t find it did much for my particular acne problem, but I also didn’t find it drying or bad smelling. To me it had no smell. I have dry skin, but didn’t find it dried my skin at all, even with 2x daily use. There isn’t anything in the formula that should be cause for anyone to avoid it unless it doesn’t work for their particular skin. I’m defensive about Paula’s Choice because they’re the reason most of my acne is gone, but that aside, you have to admit that based on scientific evidence there’s no reason to avoid the product.
Hi, thank you so much for your post. That reflects my experience with other PC products.
I consider my skin to be tough and low-maintenance. It gets a bit more oily in the summer, and a bit dryer during a cold season, nothing big. And since puberty, now at 32, I never had any problems with pimples, dryness, sensitivity etc.
Until recently I was just using some cheap cleanser from a supermarket and nothing else. Then I learned about the proper routine with moisturizing and scrubs and serums. And the PC4Men line was praised so much that I gave it a try.
First, I was surprised how it all smells of rubber or burnt plastic. I’ve read quite a few articles on their website and remembered how Paula was against fragrance, ok, maybe that’s what unscented products smell like.
I was using the face wash, day and night creams, and AHA 5%. First days I felt the tension in my skin, then I would also get a light burning sensation for like 20 minutes each time after using the products. Then the skin got as dry as it never had been and pimples started appearing on the cheeks and forehead. At this point, about 2 weeks in, I decided to stop this experiment. For the next week or two I was just washing my face with water, to let the skin heal itself. Later I found another set of products which actually make my skin better, instead of actively destroying it, and I stick with it.
Besides that, one of the free samples PC sent me was an eye cream. I gave it to my mother to try (before I knew how bad it was). She tried it once and felt the burning for 2 days afterwards.
Having read Paula’s articles I was really excited, almost a fan of her, because of her honesty and confidence. After trying the products, I feel betrayed. These are not just bad, they are dangerous.
I’ve never tried the PC BHA cuz I’m not a fan of the oily texture of ANY of her products. She seems to like to put lots of silicones in everything and it clogs my damn pores all to hell ! I recon if I need a butthole cancer preventative , the oiliness could be soothing tho. I’ll keep it in mind ! LMFAO . No worries ! I’m immature as hell too and I’m on your side . We may both go missing over this . Of course I followed your advice and I’m now a proud user of Cosrx BHA Power Liquid . I fucking LOVE it so far !!! I also have Seb derm . Cosrx makes my face feel so hydrated too . I’m fairly oily , but harsh things dry me out and my skin looks like your forehead looked in that pic , but with a slick of oil on top , if I use too harsh products. I’ve only used the Cosrx BHA for bout 6-7 days , but I noticed 2 lil micro blackheads I didn’t know I had that were peeking out of the pores in my nasolabial area . My skin has a clean feel and a dewy look after using it . Shiny in a clean way , not an oily way . My face feels so smooth too !!! Cosrx BHA and Nizoral seem to be smoothing my face FINALLY ( don’t get hopes up Jen ! LOL) Thanks again for all your help , and for your humor ?
UGH THIS IS HOW I RUINED MY MOISTURE BARRIER AND ACID MANTLE AND THEN LEFT MY SKIN SUPER VULNERABLE TO THE FATTY ACID SENSITIVITY I HAVE (and didn’t realize I had) BY MOISTURIZING WITH CERAVE! What a mess, bad flashbacks, much cystic acne, very loathsome
I likewise wasn’t a fan of this particular Paula’s Choice BHA. As you said, I found it sticky and drying and just hated the feel of it on my skin. Yet bizarrely it’s their most popular product. Go figure.
In fact it’s so popular that they re-branded the exact same formula in their “Clear” line, as the Clear Extra Strength BHA. Funnily enough, there’s another BHA in that line, the Regular Strength, which I happen to really like. It’s far lighter and, in my experience, non-drying. It has the same concentration of salicylic acid (2%), but at a slightly higher pH (3.9 as opposed to 3.5), and contains several anti-irritants as well as sodium hyaluronate, which must be enough to counteract the dryness and irritation to the point that I feel like I’m putting a toner on my skin rather than an exfoliant.
However, my major grievance with the Paula’s Choice liquid exfoliants is that their packaging is god-awful — I’d personally give them 1 star for that compared to your very gracious 4 stars). I travel a lot and wasted so much of their products from leakage. I remember I went on a short haul flight with a brand new bottle of BHA and half of it ended up exfoliating the bottom of my suitcase. I noticed it’s a very common complaint in reviews on their website, but their customer service’s standard response is “we’re sorry but it’s tricky because no skin-care product is designed for travel.” Considering I’ve used other liquid products that don’t have this issue, I interpret this to mean “we’re sorry but we’re too lazy to put proper sealable caps on our liquid products. Maybe you should stay at home.”
Of course, my workaround is to transfer it to a different bottle. But considering the cost of their products you’d think they’d put a little more careful thought into their packaging.
Hey f.c., I found your blog through this post and was so glad I was not the only one who had problems with Paula’s Choice. I used a newer version but the same 2% BHA liquid. I couldn’t believe their brand takes pride in all the “non-irritant” ingredients, but hey, maybe it is me and I am just allergic to almost everything.
However, their products do strike me as overrated, or the quality recently is just not that good anymore.
Now to your blog: I also read your Fungal Acne “guidebook” and it was so interesting to learn so many things that I kept looking around in your blog and found all the other interesting and informative blog posts. I think you should definitely get a degree or at least a special award for all of this work! I appreciate it also for how you try to explain all the highly academic stuff in “normal” language because I think these days academics just get off on talking in a way that no one understands them (maybe I only noticed it because I am now working on my MA degree, but BS/MS degrees are less so – either way, great work).
I find it still hard to know what kind of skin problems I have (guess it might be a mix, like I think you also mentioned in one of your posts), so I can just hope with time maybe I will figure it out completely.
But your blog helped so much, especially explaining the ingredients and how they work. If you ever happen to need help with figuring out Japanese (or German, but I doubt that) ingredient names or cosmetics, contact me anytime and I would gladly repay my debt.
I certainly appreciate your humor . I’m 39 and will remain a 5th grader for the rest of my life when it comes to humor . Just watched all 13 seasons of Family Guy again . At one point , it showed Seth asking ppl what they thought of the show . Lots of negative feedback. So uptight . They were offended that a baby and a dog get into such shenanigans. That’s one of my fave things about the show ! A dog having human girlfriends and a baby with a time machine !!!It’s a cartoon people ???.
Unfortunately, I may have spoke too soon on the BHA . I’ve not had a true pimple in 3 years, and right after I bragged to you that I loved it , a sore monster lump formed on my chin . There’s a smaller one on my cheek , and another smaller one on my forehead( that one don’t count . It’ll go away fast ) The one on my chin has puss trying to make its way to the surface . Is it normal to purge like that ? I read that bha shouldn’t cause inflamed pimples during a purge , and that if it does , your skin may just not like it . Do you think I should just go slower ? I’d hate to go back to the pizza face I battled 3 years ago . On the plus side , my nose blackheads have been clearing right out . I can usually see the wee bastards poking out of the pores in the crook of my nose . Not anymore . Thank you so much for all your time making these posts . I know that had to take forever ! ?
PS , even my Curology with tretinoin didn’t make me purge much . Mandelic acid made my blackheads fall out on their own , and maybe a teeny tiny pimple here or there that healed FAST . No sore ones . I forgot what it was like to have a chin monster. I used to pop one , only to have more join it . Like Chris Griffin’s zit , Doug and his homies ! Haha . Never wanna go there again . Back then , the “purge ” never ended for me when I’d try acne meds . When I gave up , my skin cleared . The zits just got replaced with seb derm . I’d rather have a face that LOOKS clear , but feels like sandpaper. That’s what I’ve had for 3 years . Of course I can feel the layer of sandpaper suffocating my face and it itches . LOL
Thanks so much for taking time to reply . I bet you do have to be careful what you say on here . That makes me appreciate your efforts even more . I slowed the BHA and plan to start all over SUPER slow . It really does make skin look SO NICE ! I got greedy I guess . LMAO
I bet you’d like Family Guy if ya ever saw it . Thank GOD I’m not the only one who’s not a Star Wars fan . Lord of the Rings movies are too long for me . I get bored n restless when forced to sit through them . The stories are cool . I just can’t stay interested in em . That’s when my iPad comes out ! LOL ! You’re not uncultured at all . If you are , then so am I ?I also work a lot and I’m too tired to do much else . Nothing wrong with that . Keeps us outa trouble ?
Okay. I love you. And your humor. We are one in the same. And I’m sooo glad I came across this. I was researching all about this product because I want it sooo badly. And now, I so badly…don’t. And will probably buy what you suggested. Can I ask, were you moisturizing your face after applying this? Or is it not recommended? Or impossible because of the oily mess? Ha!
I’m sorry you had such an adverse reaction, f.c.!! D:
I’ve read your review of PC’s 2% BHA and it worried me tremendously that I might suffer the same consequences. My skin generally fluctuates from oily, to super oily, to combination (my T-zone is greasy as hell at that stage). I really have no idea if I’ll even my skin type out so for now, I stick to the oily description and concerns when shopping for skincare products.
I’ve been eyeing the 2% BHA liquid for a while now, as my skin was breaking out, visibly discolored with PIH (both from acne that faded and from my own compulsive skin-picking), and was in desperate need for exfoliation and just general self-care. I couldn’t take looking at myself in the mirror each morning and night so eventually, I decided to purchase a travel size of the 2% BHA, 30 ml/ 1 fl. oz., to try it out.
I’ve started using it on June 4th, 2017 and have used it since then once-a-week, every Saturday. As it’s been a while that I used a BHA solution on my face, I figured a slow introduction (especially with a new product) is ideal. As of July 27th, 2017, I have noticed that the PIH on my cheeks and around/on my chin have dramatically faded away. My pores have become somewhat smaller, skin smoother and less bumpy. Overall, my face cleared up quite nicely. In addition, prior to using the BHA, I use a DIY toner of diluted Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and water, the ratio being 1 part ACV to 3 parts water to restore my acid mantle after using any facewash. Sidenote: I’d like to hear your opinion on using this DIY toner.
Now, of course I still suffer from embarrassing red blind pimple as well as the occasional monthly hormonal spots but generally, my face has been relatively clear. I’ve never felt this happy before, and I’ve been prescribed oral and topical medications, including 0.025% Tretinoin by my dermatologist in 2015, which had good results on its own, but I digress.
I really hope I’m not jinxing myself but singing PC’s 2% BHA’s praises. Perhaps it was just a stroke of luck and of course, everyone’s skin is unique and what works for one person may not always work for another. I’m happy to hear that you found an alternative that worked better on your skin, though!! 😀 😀
P.S. I’m sorry for this odyssey of words, I just had a lot to say, but thank you for making it this far! 😀
I agree I used It two days ago my skin is so flaky and tight, it hasn’t done this to me before, it seemed fine a couple of weeks ago, and I only exfoliate with it once a week :/. I found Paula’s choice glycolic 10% was trying me out in palaces I’m not normally dry. I think il stop using it and perhaps try cosrx one which I wished I’d got in the first place.
Hi! I need help. So what has brought me here is google searching “over-exfoliation” because I think I may have done the same thing to my skin with ruining my acid mantle and moisture barrier. I used a little too much bha and aha together on my nose for a few days and now my nose is all wrinkly, like the picture you posted of your forehead. It’s also a bit red, shiny, and looks tight (despite it not feeling tight). I don’t know what to do about it and it’s been stressing me out for the past few days. My question is, how long did it take for those lines to go away and for your skin to return to normal? Did it recover from it at all? I’ve searched everywhere online but haven’t been able to find anyone talking about this so I’m really worried about the state of my skin right now. Any advice would be really appreciated 🙂
I dont know if it truth or not …. but after i used for 2 weeks … my aunt came to visit me today and she wondering about if i just travel to the beach lately ?
actually it turn my face darker before use it ? i did use Avene 50spf in the day and protect face with mask when i go out …. i had no idea why it turn my face darker ?
Does anybody know the answer why ?
I use her 1% BHA lotion and it’s actually quite nice for my sensitive skin. I switched to 1% during pregnancy as BHA’s 2% and above should be avoided. I didn’t care for the liquidy 2%.