Versus

Balea Liquid Peeling 2% BHA Versus MIAMO Salicylic Acid Exfoliator 2%

Exfoliator
Exfoliator
German Brand Germany
Italian Brand Italy

Overview

What they are

These products are both fungal acne (malassezia) safe and reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, oily skin and reducing pores

Free From

They both do not contain any common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

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 a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

When to use

68 Routines
21% use in am
79% use in pm
56% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
1 Routine
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Balea Liquid Peeling 2% BHA 6 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 rating

MIAMO Salicylic Acid Exfoliator 2% 3 ingredients

1.0 /5
from 1 rating
silvia.vl's avatar

silvia.vl

1 year ago
Review

Extremely harsh
The first time I opened the bottle the strongest smell of pure alcohol came out; first red flag. I tried it only once and yes, my skin was smoother and with less texture, I will say that; but the following morning was extremely dry and irritated although I applied a thick moisturizing cream.
This one is a no go for me and I don't have particularly sensitive skin.