Versus

Retin-A (Tretinoin) Retin-A (Tretinoin) Cream 0.05% Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant - US

Prescription
Exfoliator
South African Brand South Africa
American Brand United States

Updated on January 15, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 1 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening 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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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 Water

When to use

668 Routines
2% use in am
98% use in pm
65% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
5,482 Routines
25% use in am
75% use in pm
62% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Retin-A (Tretinoin) Retin-A (Tretinoin) Cream 0.05% 9 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Works Well (2) Great Value (1) Heavy (1)
chlolands's avatar

chlolands

1 year ago
Review

Never gave me the miracle results I've seen all over TikTok but served me well for the 3+ years I was on this.

#heavy
#works well
hmmh's avatar

hmmh

1 year ago
Review

Been on this for 4 years. It does not perform miracles but it does keep your skin youthful to some extent sans procedures. Worked on reducing inflammation and acne but dried my skin out, even after a full year of consistent use. With this, sunscreen is non-negotiable.

#great value
#drying
#irritating
#sticky

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 8 ingredients

3.2 /5
from 74 ratings
Expensive (26) Works Well (21) Drying (13)
skinogre's avatar

skinogre

1 year ago
Review

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. Show more

#strong scent
#works well
Vman's avatar

Wiesław Gierczak

10 months ago
Review

Blackheads? Gone. Dry flakes? Gone. Nose? Smooth. Clogged pores who? My skin tends to be sensitive at times but it could easily handle this product.

#great value
#expensive
#light
#absorbs well