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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on July 01, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 2 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin and reducing pores

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, 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.

Toner British Brand United Kingdom
Exfoliator American Brand United States

Toner

Toners are used as a “last-step” cleanser, a pH balancer, add moisture to the skin, or may help in reducing impurities on the skin. They have a liquid consistency and are usually used after cleansers but before treatments.

Exfoliator

Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.

Price

Shop

Buy Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner

Starts at $14.00
Shop

Buy Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant

Starts at $35.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

PHA
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Notable Ingredients

BHA

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner contains this as ingredient number 16.

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 13.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

44% are loved or liked
25% have mixed ratings
31% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
46% are loved or liked
31% have mixed ratings
15% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner 16 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 rating

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 ratings
No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
nafi_saa's avatar

nafi_saa

11 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Single-handedly cleared up my ever present stubborn blackheads!

MichelleR's avatar

MichelleR

4 months ago · Dry Skin
Review

This product layers so well underneath my sunscreen. It gives me the confidence that my acne is being treated during the day. I absolutely love this!

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Toner.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 5 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant.

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