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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs versus Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA .

Published on June 29, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

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

Free From

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

Body Serum American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Body Serum

Body serums give the skin on your body extra nourishment.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs

Starts at $37.05
Shop

Buy Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA

Starts at $12.00

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

AHA (2)
Retinoid
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin (2)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (4)
Reduces Large Pores (4)
Anti-Aging (5)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin E

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (3)
Reduces Large Pores
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

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

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

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 17.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 7.

3
What it does: Emollient, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.

As an emollient, it helps keep the skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in, keeping the skin hydrated.

C13-14 Isoparaffin may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about C13-14 Isoparaffin

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 18.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 21.

4
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 19.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 27.

5
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.

Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.

It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.

We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Learn more about Polyacrylamide

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 20.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 20.

6
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.

Laureth-7 is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 21.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 22.

7
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 26.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 29.

8
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs contains this as ingredient number 27.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA contains this as ingredient number 23.

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

41% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
52% are disliked or very disliked
4% have no rating yet
31% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
14% 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

Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs 27 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
unicorn's avatar

unicorn

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

On my second bottle.
Expensive but it does gently exfoliate and smooth skin. I use some of this lotion on my heels after exfoliating the calluses...

On my second bottle.
Expensive but it does gently exfoliate and smooth skin. I use some of this lotion on my heels after exfoliating the calluses and it helps a ton in regard to removing further dead skin. The solution sinks into the skin and isn't tacky or sticky. I have also noticed some discoloration on my legs fading.

My only complaint is the way the lotion is packaged, as it is hard to squeeze out a small amount.

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA 29 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Broke Me Out (1) Irritating (1)
BubbIes's avatar

BubbIes

2 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

I'm often confused why a brand like Paula's Choice would have such irritating and comedogenic ingredients in so many of their products...

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Topicals Slather Exfoliating Body Serum with Retinol and AHAs.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 6 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA.

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