Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream versus Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA .
Published on October 28, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils or parabens
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Price
Ingredient Info
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 7 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
Water • Urea • Cetyl Alcohol • Glycerin • Zinc Stearate • Cetearyl Alcohol • Niacinamide • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • C12-13 Alkyl Lactate • Butyl Lactate • Peg-100 Stearate • Behentrimonium Methosulfate • Dimethicone • Triacetin • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Carbomer • Sodium Lactate • Salicylic Acid • Sodium Hydroxide • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate • Lauryl Acrylate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Cholesterol • Phenoxyethanol • Disodium EDTA • Caprylyl Caprylate • Hydroxyacetophenone • Citric Acid • Lactic Acid • Phytosphingosine • Xanthan Gum • Ethylhexylglycerin
Water • Butylene Glycol • Cetyl Alcohol • Ppg-14 Butyl Ether • Salicylic Acid • Dimethicone • Tocopheryl Acetate • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract • Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract • Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract • Bisabolol • Allantoin • Cyclopentasiloxane • Cyclohexasiloxane • Dimethiconol • Peg-40 Stearate • Sorbitan Stearate • Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer • Polyacrylamide • C13-14 Isoparaffin • Laureth-7 • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Hydroxide • Hexylene Glycol • Caprylyl Glycol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterCeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 1.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Its main roles are:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 3.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 14.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 6.
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 AcidCeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 21.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 5.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideCeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 22.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 24.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 27.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 29.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTACeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 23.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream contains this as ingredient number 36.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 28.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
CeraVe SA Smoothing Cream 34 ingredients
chesterfield__
Absolutely changed my skin
Got rid of all my hormonal acne, made my skin extremely smooth and soft to the touch, keeps my skin well-hydrated, glowy...
Absolutely changed my skin
Got rid of all my hormonal acne, made my skin extremely smooth and soft to the touch, keeps my skin well-hydrated, glowy and healthy. I use it day and night.
Zora
I used this product for my keratosis pilaris every evening for a few weeks. Unfortunately, it did not help my skin condition at all. But at least...
I used this product for my keratosis pilaris every evening for a few weeks. Unfortunately, it did not help my skin condition at all. But at least it didn't make anything worse. Won't buy again.
Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients
BubbIes
I'm often confused why a brand like Paula's Choice would have such irritating and comedogenic ingredients in so many of their products...
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