A Personal Review On Paula's Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant
My first chemical exfoliant
Product Reviews | October 11, 2021
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If you haven’t heard of Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, then it is time to find out now. It is a gentle leave-on chemical exfoliant that can be used daily.
According to Paula’s Choice website, this exfoliant will leave your skin looking radiant and reduce fine lines and wrinkles by exfoliating dead skin cells and clearing pores. Beta hydroxy acid (BHA aka salicylic acid) is one of the main ingredients in this product that is added to help remove extra layers of dead skin while unclogging and clearing pores.
If you struggle with acne, have dry or dull skin, have fine lines or wrinkles, then this is the product you should consider using to help with those concerns. Also, on their site, it is said that all skin types can use this exfoliant. If this product piqued your interest, then you should continue reading about how it changed my skin and more about it overall.
Ingredients
- Water (Aqua)
- Methylpropanediol (hydration)
- Butylene Glycol (hydration)
- Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid/exfoliant)
- Polysorbate 20 (stabilizer)
- Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract (green tea/skin calming/antioxidant)
- Sodium Hydroxide (pH balancer)
- Tetrasodium EDTA (stabilizer)
A Little Bit About My Skin
Before I tell you how my skin reacted to using this product, I think you should know more about my skin. I consider my skin type to be oily. As for my skin issues, I am currently dealing with dull/dehydrated skin, acne, large pores, and dark marks.
I took a break from using any skincare products for a year and, in doing so, resulted in my skin appearing dull and flaky. I also struggle with hormonal acne, and from that acne, I receive dark marks. So, now I have skin discoloration on my cheeks and chin area. Also, the pores near my nose are noticeably large.
How I Used This Exfoliant
With all chemical exfoliants, it is best to use them after cleansing and toning. If you don’t use a toner, then do this step after cleansing. In my skincare routine, I applied this product after my second cleanse.
When it came to applying the product to my skin, I tried both methods. At first, I used a cotton pad to spread the exfoliant on my face. A few weeks later, I decided to just use my hands instead, and now I believe this is the better method when applying a chemical exfoliant.
I feel like I am not wasting the product this way.
How Often I Used This Exfoliant
I didn’t use the exfoliant based on directions written on the product because I wanted to ease my skin into using it. Since this was my first time using a chemical exfoliant.
Their website suggests applying the product every other day. In other words, it will be either 3-4 times a week. After seeing how your skin responds well to the product after a week or two, that is when you will use it twice daily.
I decided to use this product twice a week for the first week, then I started using it every other day for another week. During these two weeks, I only applied it at night. Eventually, I felt like the exfoliant was not irritating my skin, so I began to use it every day, twice a day.
It is always better to ease your skin into using a new product to avoid irritation.
How This Exfoliant Changed My Skin
I consistently used this product until I finished it, and that was in four months. Since then, I have noticed a difference in my skin.
The Start of Using This Product
During the first month, I didn’t see much change in a positive way. Instead, I received a terrible breakout all over my chin area. At first, I thought I had a bad reaction to the exfoliant until I remembered hearing about skin purging.
Skin purging is a reaction to an active ingredient that increases the skin cell turnover rate.
I had to understand that my skin had to bring out all the excess sebum, flakes, and buildup from my pores to the surface first. After that, I was able to see healthy, clear skin. This purging lasted about two to three weeks.
The Moment I Noticed A Change In My Skin
After month three, I noticed my pores were significantly smaller, and my skin appeared to have less texture. Also, after that terrible breakout, the amount of acne I would receive was less often. Even when I did have a few pimples, they were tiny.
I didn’t expect the product to stop all breakouts from happening, but I do think it did its job.
I am not 100% sure if this product alone has helped cause all of these positive changes for my skin, but I think it helped.
One Problem That Was Left Unresolved
This product claims that it will help even out your skin tone, so I was also hoping that would be the case when I used this exfoliant. Unfortunately, that did not happen to my dark marks.
I do think it is slightly less dark compared to before, but it is still noticeable. I am unsure if I have had to use this product for a longer time to see a change in my skin discoloration.
Improvements
The product itself is good, considering I didn’t receive any irritation from it.
My only issue is the packaging of the exfoliant. The white words on the bottle started to chip away, and those little white pieces would end up on my face and face cloth.
It was incredibly annoying trying to remove all of those little white pieces from my damp face. I think Paula’s Choice should consider using a wrapper on the bottle to put all the necessary information.
How You Can Purchase the Product
I bought this product on Paula’s Choice Website, but you can also purchase it on Sephora.
Note: There is currently a 15% off discount on Paula’s Choice Website
Paula’s Choice Website $29.50 (4oz) and $10 (travel size)
Sephora $29.50 (4oz) and $10 (travel size)
My Overall Review
I think this is the perfect exfoliant if you are dealing with acne and large pores. After my experience with this exfoliant, I will purchase this product again. It was able to help my skin appear smooth and clear.
It was nice not constantly having random big pimples come up or dealing with little texture bumps. Also, the product does not have a long list of unnecessary ingredients, which is a plus.
As for my skin discoloration, I think I will use another product to resolve this problem. So, if these are dealing with acne, large pores, and dull skin, I recommend you try this exfoliant for yourself.
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