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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream versus Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant .

Last updated on February 06, 2024. Published on February 25, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any 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.

Facial Treatment French Brand France
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Exfoliator

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

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant 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

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (4)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (5)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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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.

1
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

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 5.

3
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 15.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 23.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 24.

5
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 19.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 16.

6
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

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream contains this as ingredient number 22.

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 20.

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

41% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
45% are disliked or very disliked
5% have no rating yet
32% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
52% are disliked or very disliked
4% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Dermaceutic Laboratoire Radiance Brightening Cream 22 ingredients

Radiance Brightening Cream hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant 25 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 6 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Irritating (1)
MichelleR's avatar

MichelleR

8 days ago · Dry Skin
Review

Why are brands still putting Dimethicone in products 🙄

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