Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on September 18, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 4 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, reducing pores and scar healing

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 need an update? Let us know.

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Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

Toner American Brand United States

Exfoliator American Brand United States

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

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Buy Clarifying Lotion 1

Starts at $18.87

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Buy Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

Starts at $35.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 16 ingredients

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

alcohol-free

silicon-free

fragrance-free

sulfate-free

paraben-free

oil-free

fungal-acne safe

reef-safe

eu-allergen-free

vegan

cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 16 ingredients

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating

Good For Oily Skin

Reduces Large Pores

Scar Healing

Acne Fighting

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (3)

May Worsen Oily Skin

Irritating (2)

Rosacea (2)

Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin

Reduces Irritation

Reduces Large Pores

Scar Healing

Acne Fighting

Brightening

Concerns

Drying

Irritating

Rosacea

Eczema

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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 16 ingredients

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients

Water • Alcohol Denat. • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Hamamelis Virginiana Water • Trehalose • Salicylic Acid • Acetyl Glucosamine • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Hydroxide • Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine • Disodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol • Benzophenone-4 • CI 19140 • CI 42090

Water • Methylpropanediol • Butylene Glycol • Polysorbate 20 • Salicylic Acid • Phytosphingosine • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract • Epilobium Angustifolium Extract • Bisabolol • Tetrasodium EDTA • Sodium Hydroxide

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Water

What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.

Butylene Glycol

What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 contains this as ingredient number 4.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 3.

Salicylic Acid

What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Liked

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

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 contains this as ingredient number 7.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 5.

Sodium Hydroxide

What it does: Buffering

Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 contains this as ingredient number 10.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 13.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.