Updated on December 05, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 0 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne 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
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Tatcha The Essence Skincare Boosting Treatment 6 ingredients
At a glance
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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Tatcha The Essence Skincare Boosting Treatment 6 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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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 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:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Preservative 5 Benefits 4 Concerns
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.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
Camellia Oleifera Leaf is a green tea plant native to China. It is closely related to Camellia sinensis. Both plants have very similar properties.
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.
Tetrasodium 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.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
Tatcha The Essence Skincare Boosting Treatment 6 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients
skinogre
The first night I used Paula’s choice exfoliant just once, it cleaned up my skin scraping it whole, I was left GLOWING but it felt kind of tight...
The first night I used Paula’s choice exfoliant just once, it cleaned up my skin scraping it whole, I was left GLOWING but it felt kind of tight like I had been using corsx salicylic acid for 3 days straight, it takes some getting used to, to the extent that the instructions literally say to start off once a week and slowly build your usage up overtime, it’s really strong but does the job well. I’ve noticed that if I overuse it, I get extremely coarse skin and whiteheads slowly appear in the places I use it most (my nose). This is why I highly advise to purchase the small sample bottle first and to build your way up, at MOST every other day. I’ve used it 3-4 times a week since and on the few days I don’t I use a daily-friendly exfoliant toner pad so my skin barrier isn’t destroyed but bacteria doesn’t also build. It dries up all the forehead gunk, removes residue on the sides of my nose and dried up the pimples I had been trying to rid of for so long, my skin is left gleaming, exfoliated as ever, and I know my skin wouldn’t be as flawless without it. 30ml sample version Lasted 2 months from Dec-Feb used every other day. I now use the 118ml version since Feb and there’s plenty left, will most likely last for about 7 months and 3 weeks in total (based on how long i went through the sample size). As much as I love this I deeply suggest researching and sampling because there are mixed reviews of people claiming that it ruined their skin which doesn’t surprise me -since it is pretty harsh exfoliant and skin is diverse. I tend to be wary of western products but one thing western products do well is harsh exfoliants. If you have a lot of bacterial residue, sebaceous filaments and the feeling of gunk on your face even after your exfoliant, this is a good one to consider. This combined with my Needley daily Toner pad is the only reason why my forehead looks like a glazed doughnut
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.
Tatcha The Essence Skincare Boosting Treatment 6 ingredients
Lapaki
Honestly I don't know what it is that makes it so good. Is it the mixture of fermented rice, green tea and algae? Maybe. Is it because these...
Honestly I don't know what it is that makes it so good. Is it the mixture of fermented rice, green tea and algae? Maybe. Is it because these ingredients are allowed to ferment twice? Maybe. Or is it my belief that applying such an expensive product consistently over a long period of time simply MUST do something super special to my skin? Again, maybe. I've been using it for almost a year and noticed short as well as long-term benefits. The powerful Hadasei-3 essence instantly softens skin and makes it plump and bouncy. For the long run, it improved my overall skintone and texture. Big Plus: it's cruelty-free and vegan. I wish I wouldn't love this pricey magic essence... just ordered my next bottle.
leelougirl
Seems to Brighten Skin
I used this together every morning for 2 weeks with:
1) Tatcha - Camillia Oil Cleanser (removes makeup, too)
2) Tatcha...
Seems to Brighten Skin
I used this together every morning for 2 weeks with:
1) Tatcha - Camillia Oil Cleanser (removes makeup, too)
2) Tatcha - Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser
3) Tatcha - The Essence
Surprising Results:
Within 1 week: My stubborn cheek acne cleared up 80-90% (semi-cystic, caused by new medication, had acne for 1 year, developed dark scars on cheeks and saw 1-2 new deep pimples every week) BUT. Within 1 week, the new pimples slowed down dramatically (1-2 per month). Now the old acne scars have time to clear up. They're fading :)
Within 2 weeks: Brighter skin??? What? I know because I always hold up the backs of my hands to my face. In the Summer, my face got super dark. In the Winter my face colour goes back to normal. Of course my hands and face colour have stayed the same this year because I haven't been outside during the pandemic.
So my face should have had my WINTER skin colour (natural colour, no tan). BUT.... after 2 weeks of this routine (no other products) my face
