Can I Swipe My Way to Clearer Skin With Paula’s Choice BHA Exfoliant?
If you’ve read any of my other skincare articles, you’ll know I’ve got combination skin that struggles with clogged and enlarged pores, dry spots, an oily t-zone, and breakouts. Yep, the whole shebang.
I’m also a huge fan of salicylic acid, with my love affair beginning with CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cleanser (£14.50 from Cult Beauty UK /$19.99 from Ulta US). My skin has been smoother, my pores appear smaller, and it gently buffs away any dry patches.
So when I came across Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant I wanted to find out whether this step up from my cleanser could give me even better results.
This product is said to be a pore-purifying liquid that removes dead skin cells and fights wrinkles, and (most) people are raving about it all over my TikTok FYP – more on this later. Not to mention it’s amassed 22 skincare awards over the past 4 years and it’s the brand’s number 1 bestseller. Impressive.
Looking for something a little stronger that could further unclog my pores and smooth my skin, I gave it a whirl. Here are my results.
The product details
Iconic skincare brand Paula’s Choice describes their BHA as being suitable for oily, combination, dry, and normal skin types (sensitive skin types may have to sit this one out, I’m afraid), and targets breakouts, blackheads, dullness, blocked pores, and fine lines.
The three key ingredients in this simple grey and white bottle are salicylic acid (BHA) to exfoliate, keep breakouts at bay, and help shed skin, green tea for its anti-ageing and antioxidant properties, and methylpropanediol to enhance absorption and hydrate.
It comes in 2 sizes and is priced at £35.00 for the full-size 4fl oz bottle and £12.00 for the travel-size bottle at Paula’s Choice UK / $35.00 for the full-size 4fl oz bottle and $14.00 for the 1fl oz travel size bottle at Paula’s Choice US. Since I’ve never tried this product before and the full-size bottle is a little bit out of my price range for something I don’t yet know works on my skin, I went for the travel size.
I’ve got a feeling I will be purchasing the full-size once this one runs out.
Image – Courtesy of writer
First impressions
Considering I purchased the smaller, travel size bottle, you actually get a lot of product (30ml). And the price for this size is pretty reasonable, and that’s coming from someone who prefers affordable skincare and beauty products!
There’s a lot of information listed on the bottle, including the skincare problems the product targets and how to use it. I like this because I’ve noticed a lack of information on products recently, they’re listed on the box – but who keeps the boxes?! Not me.
The texture is really thin but slightly oily feeling. You’re best decanting this onto a cotton pad or in the palm of your cupped hand. The smell is extremely strong, it smells medical/chemical, but it’s not something that put me off at all.
I didn’t notice any side effects such as tingling or irritation when I applied it and my skin felt fine after applying this and following it with my usual CeraVe Moisturising Lotion (£12 from Cult Beauty UK /$15.99 from Ulta US).
Image – Courtesy of writer
My results
2% is pretty strong for salicylic acid, so I took this very slowly at first, making sure to not use any actives or exfoliants that could irritate or strip my skin if used with this.
I cleansed my face with a creamy cleanser, skipping my usual CeraVe cleanser since this also contains SA. Once I had patted my face dry, I added a few drops of the product onto a cotton pad and swiped it over my face, making sure I got it into the nooks and crannies around my nose, as well as the lines on my forehead and in between my eyebrows. It dries quite quickly, so I applied my moisturiser around a minute after.
The next day, my skin looked and felt noticeably smoother, a bit like the day after using retinol. I continued using this every other evening in my skincare routine over the last 10 days, using this BHA as a toner in between cleansing and moisturising. However, I switched to adding a few drops onto my palm and pressing it into my face in the hopes that this would reduce any wastage on a cotton pad.
The texture is very watery. Image – Courtesy of writer
What other users are saying
This is one of the most viral products ever. Literally. And it has a lot of positive reviews.
One user on Reddit writes “I think it’s gold standard personally. I have wildly sensitive skin and it’s a dream. I think a bottle lasts a very long time. And I don’t like Paula aha however.”
While another says “My very knowledgeable friend told me to use it as a spot treatment for breakouts. I tried it last night on 3 juicy zits (starting my period) and holy crap they almost completely disappeared overnight.” People seem to love this product for breakouts, which SA is safe to use on, as well as for clogged pores and smoothing the skin.
However, like most skincare products, there are some negative comments for this. One user on TikTok says “I thought it was purging but it just kept getting worse and worse. now i have tons of lil bumps all over my face”.
Another says “This happened to me too. Everyone says purging stage but it was NOT. My skin got extremely irritated. I used a diff toner with BHA and this didn’t hpn [happen]”.
While some people, including me, can’t use this every day because it’s too strong, SA does cause purging so your skin *may* get worse before it gets better. If you notice purging, switch to using the product just once a week and start trying to build it up again.
In general, most people use this every other day and alternate between retinol (do not use this SA product with retinol), or they stick to using it a couple of times a week to keep skin smooth and free of dead skin.
@dermdoctor The viral BHA liquid exfoliant: How to Use It and Why @Paula’s Choice #paulaschoicepartner #dermatologist #skincare #salicylicacid #bhaliquidexfoliant
Overall value for money
As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t usually spend £35.00 on a skincare product unless it really makes a difference. But so far, this does. To be honest the travel size bottle is pretty adequate and affordable, especially if you’re only going to be using this a couple of times a week or every other day.
But, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, lots of people swear by Naturium’s BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2% (£19 from Space NK UK / $19 from Naturirum US), and for a more gentle SA that really works and is a great introduction to the ingredient.
I really like CeraVe’s SA Smoothing Cleanser (£14.50 from Cult Beauty UK /$19.99 from Ulta US), and I would advise leaving this on your skin for a couple of minutes after cleansing to really let the SA work.
The takeaway
I’m sold on this – if you haven’t noticed!
I love the way my skin feels the next day and I’m starting to notice my pores looking slightly less visible. While I notice great results with CeraVe’s Smoothing Cleanser, the 2% concentration of this BHA is perfect for my skin type.
Sensitive skin types should steer clear of this, but I think it’s perfect for oily, combination, and breakout or acne-prone skin.
No wonder this product is so viral!
Get Glowing!
