maru.derm BHA Pore Cleaning Daily Toner Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
Updated on April 03, 2024
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, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin and reducing pores
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, 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
maru.derm BHA Pore Cleaning Daily Toner 32 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
maru.derm BHA Pore Cleaning Daily Toner 32 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantGlycine
Buffering
Alanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Propylene Glycol, Lauryl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Tetrasodium EDTA
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterSalicylic 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 AcidTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
maru.derm BHA Pore Cleaning Daily Toner 32 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
maru.derm BHA Pore Cleaning Daily Toner 32 ingredients
It's alright. But I'm not sure if it contains 2% BHA. I used other BHA products before and this one is not as effective as the others. Since I know the brand to not be consistent with their production processes, it may very well be that they did not use 2% BHA in every bottle they produced.
Also, it's very watery. It's so difficult to apply to my face without getting it on my eyelids, which Show more
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients
Single-handedly cleared up my ever present stubborn blackheads!
I started using this product during the day and layering it under my sunscreen. It wasn't bad for that, but I just find using it at night is much more effective. It is a thick enough consistency that it can go on as the last layer of a night-time routine and act as an overnight mask.
I love the BHA liquid exfoliant and use that during the day now, due to its quick absorption. I am not able to Show more
