Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant versus Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel .
Last updated on February 29, 2024. Published on April 03, 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 AHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
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 need an update? Let us know.
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Price
Ingredient Info
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 23 ingredients
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel 23 ingredients
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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is 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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 23 ingredients
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel 23 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
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:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 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:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 23 ingredients
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel 23 ingredients
Water • 2,3-Butanediol • Mandelic Acid • Lactic Acid • Sodium Hydroxide • Myrica Cerifera Fruit Extract • Akebia Quinata Stem Extract • Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract • Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate • Saccharomyces Lysate • Achillea Millefolium Extract • Saccharide Isomerate • Arginine • Hydroxyacetophenone • Butylene Glycol • Sodium Phytate • Pentylene Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Citric Acid • Sodium Citrate • 1,2-Hexanediol • Caprylyl Glycol • Sodium Benzoate
Water • Pentylene Glycol • Glycerin • Glycolic Acid • Gluconolactone • Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water • Propanediol • Lactic Acid • Sodium Hydroxide • Panthenol • Allantoin • Salicylic Acid • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Copper Gluconate • Coco-Betaine • Carica Papaya Fruit Extract • Citric Acid • Potassium Sorbate • Arginine • Disodium Phosphate • Polysorbate 60 • Sodium Phosphate
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 WaterPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 1.
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.
Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 4.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 8.
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 HydroxidePaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 5.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 9.
Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.
As a cosmetic ingredient, Arginine has antioxidant properties and can also help repair damaged skin. This ingredient is derived either synthetically or from animals.
Arginine isn't fungal acne safe when used in the presence of other lipids (fats, fatty acids, oils, esters, etc). Oils and fats occur naturally within the skin, so take caution when using Arginine if you're prone to fungal acne.
Learn more about ArgininePaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 13.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 20.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 17.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 2.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 19.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel contains this as ingredient number 18.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 23 ingredients
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel 23 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 23 ingredients
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel 23 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 8 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant.
See 8 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Daily Re-Texturizing Triple Acid Peel.
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