Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant versus Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA .
Last updated on September 15, 2023. Published on September 29, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and 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, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any 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 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant 15 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 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 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
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 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
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 🎉
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 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant 15 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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:
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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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Notable Ingredients
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:
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Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 7 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 5 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 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 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant 15 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Glycolic Acid • Glycerin • Lactic Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Malic Acid • Tartaric Acid • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Ceramide Ng • Salicylic Acid • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Punica Granatum Extract • Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract • Camellia Oleifera Leaf • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Peucedanum Graveolens Extract • Allantoin • Adenosine • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Bisabolol • Polyquaternium-10 • Xanthan Gum • Carbomer • Polysorbate 20 • Sodium Bicarbonate • Sodium Hydroxide • Aminomethyl Propanol • Phenoxyethanol • Benzyl Alcohol
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 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 1.
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.
When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.
Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 2.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 31.
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.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 11.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 2.
Polyquaternium-10 is an ammonium salt of hydroxyethylcellulose. It is a white and granular powder used as a film-former and anti-static agent.
This ingredient is commonly found in hair conditioning products. According to a manufacturer, its positive charge makes it great for absorbing hair proteins. The manufacturer also states this ingredient helps with curl retention.
For haircare friends: this ingredient is not a silicone.
Learn more about Polyquaternium-10Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 13.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 26.
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.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 14.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 33.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant 15 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant 15 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 11 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA.
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