Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant US .
Last updated on December 05, 2023. Published on February 08, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 3 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 harsh alcohols, 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.
Essence
Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.
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
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are 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 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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:
Benefits
This product contains 4 ingredients 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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients 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 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Water • Arginine • Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate • Dicaprylyl Ether • Glycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Lactic Acid • Propanediol • Squalane • Butylene Glycol • Sodium Chloride • Tocopherol • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Salicylic Acid • Ferulic Acid • Caramel • Adenosine • Lavandula Hybrida Oil • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil • Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil • Linalool • Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil • Brassica Campestris Extract • Brassica Campestris Sprout Extract • Mentha Piperita Oil • Sodium Hyaluronate • Citronellol • Geraniol • Limonene • Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil
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 WaterKiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant US contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant US contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 AcidKiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid contains this as ingredient number 14.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant US contains this as ingredient number 4.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid 31 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
MichelleR
Viral for a REASON
This product is popular for a reason. Back in the day [showing my age] we used to use Noxzema and Stridex for our acne. But...
Viral for a REASON
This product is popular for a reason. Back in the day [showing my age] we used to use Noxzema and Stridex for our acne. But those products were so harsh, burned, and didn't produce any results. This product not only clears pores but is also nourishing [suspect it is the green tea]. After I apply, my skin doesn't feel raw or sensitive. The formulation of this product is FANTASTIC. Truly viral for a reason. It will forever be in my skincare collection.
lonelydeath
I have put off on using this product for so long due to the price, but it is worth it. I have tried so many products with salicylic acid and this...
I have put off on using this product for so long due to the price, but it is worth it. I have tried so many products with salicylic acid and this one is the first to work. It has an oil consistency, but does not feel oily at all.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 3 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Ferulic Brew Antioxidant Facial Treatment with Lactic Acid.
See 3 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 30 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant US.
See 30 alternatives