Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment versus Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment .
Published on January 27, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 3 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain BHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and scar healing
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.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Ingredient Info
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
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:
Vegan
This product is 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 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 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:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
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:
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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
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 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
Water • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Stearic Acid • Cetearyl Alcohol • Colloidal Sulfur • Glycerin • Succinic Acid • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Salicylic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Squalane • Benzyl Alcohol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Polysorbate 60 • Ethylhexylglycerin • Sodium Hydroxide • Dehydroacetic Acid • Malachite Extract • Sorbitan Isostearate • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • CI 75810
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 WaterThe INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment contains this as ingredient number 4.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinThe INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 7.
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment contains this as ingredient number 6.
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.
This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.
Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.
In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidThe INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment contains this as ingredient number 5.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment 22 ingredients
The only product that has made a significant difference within 24 hours, decreases redness and texture quickly
The only product that has made a significant difference within 24 hours, decreases redness and texture quickly
Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment 13 ingredients
I feel it keeps my pimples and oiliness at bay.
I feel it keeps my pimples and oiliness at bay.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 21 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Succinic Acid Acne Treatment.
See 21 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 23 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment.
See 23 alternatives
