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I don't know if it's the confidence that comes with age or just sheer laziness, but makeup has become less and less appealing to me as the years go on. Most days, I'm trading in my primer for a good pore-blurring moisturizer, an opaque lipstick for tinted lip balm, and some concealer for a solid eye cream. Don't get me wrong—I'll never break up with my beloved concealers, foundations, and mascara, but even makeup lovers can't deny that there's something really refreshing about letting your skin breathe every now and then.
Paula's Choice Paulas Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Paula's Choice Paulas Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Credit: Courtesy
As someone who loves anything that promises hydration and glow, it's hard to achieve the same level of radiance I get from my favorite gold highlighter out of my skincare routine. Face oils provided some short-term brightness till they sunk in to my skin, but that wasn't quite what I was looking for. I found the solution to my lackluster skin woes in the last place I expected to find it—in Paula's Choice's TikTok-famous BHA Liquid Exfoliant [$30, Amazon].
On the outside, this seemed like a pretty basic toner. It's a simple grey bottle, and the toner has a water-like look and texture. I couldn't believe what I was seeing on TikTok. Hundreds of TikTok beauty lovers with various skin types, from oily to dry to acne-prone, and redness-prone were trying the liquid exfoliant, and every single one of them saw dramatic results fast. Even dermatologists rave about it how good it is at clearing acne and texture.
Here's how it surprised me:
It makes my skin glow for hours after I put it on.
I use this both day and night, being careful to pair it with SPF during the day. When I use it during the day, it immediately makes my skin look glowy, and it stays that way for hours.
The biggest surprise I got was using this at night, though. Since I have really dry skin, I usually wake up to see that my skin soaked up every bit of moisturizer and oil I put on it, but when I use this exfoliant, I wake up with my skin looking extra dewy and plump. It almost makes me not want to wash my face in the A.M.
It's super easy to use.
Technically, the directions say you're supposed to shake some of the liquid on to a cotton pad/ball before dabbing it in to your skin, but in an effort to be a little bit more eco-friendly [or an excuse to be lazy], I really just pour a teaspoon-sized amount of it in to the palm of my hand and then press it in to my skin.
Just like any toner, I simply apply it right after cleansing and before my serums and moisturizers. I didn't even have to wait more than a couple of days to see dramatic results.
It makes my skin soft and soothes breakouts.
I have really large pores along my cheeks, so I'm constantly battling the look of texture on my face. The salicylic acid in this deeply penetrates my pores to make my skin feel just as soft [if not softer] as it does when I've gotten a facial, done some facial steaming, or used a chemical exfoliant on it.
Salicylic acid is also great at fighting those cystic hormonal breakouts I get along my jawline and chin every month. I wouldn't say it prevents them, but once they pop up, they heal much faster when I use this on them overnight without irritating them or making them more red, like some chemical exfoliants can.
Needless to say, I finally understand the hype around this. In just two uses, it transformed the texture of my skin, gave me a sun-kissed glow, and cleared my acne. If you don't trust me, trust the TikTok beauty gods—I'm thankful I did.
Neha Tandon is the former senior commerce editor of Women's Health. She has written for New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan, BRIDES, Harper's Bazaar, Business Insider, Byrdie, and Well+Good.
The search term ‘Paula’s Choice BHA’ has racked up a huge 2.5 million views on TikTok, so it’s safe to say this is the latest product on a long list of those that have become famous thanks to the social media platform.
Beauty buffs may already be familiar with the brand, which is known for “telling the truth” when it comes to the power of products. Founder Paula Begoun was actually fired from her cosmetic counter job back in 1975 for doing just this – refusing to sell customers a dream and being honest about just how much ingredients really can help the skin, which is refreshing to see in an industry known for exaggerating the impact of its products and photoshopping pictures.
Since founding Paula’s Choice in 1995, the brand has gone from strength to strength, but TikTok has taken its success to a whole new level. Interestingly, the product the platform has picked to spotlight, the 2 per cent BHA liquid exfoliant, has actually been around since 2000, meaning it’s certainly not a new addition to the Paula’s Choice collection.
Why do TikTok content creators love it so much? Because of its gentle exfoliation that works to remove blackheads and reduce the appearance of pores. And our current obsession with chemical exfoliation is showing no signs of slowing down just yet.
Everyone from dermatologists to beauty buffs and skincare fanatics have joined in with sharing their love for the product, all noting an improvement in their skin texture and a reduction in oiliness, clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads. So, we put it to the test as part of our TikTok Trails to see just how well it really works and answer all your burning questions, including why it might not be working for you.
Read more:
- The TikTok beauty trends you need to know
- TikTok Trials: We reviewed the e.l.f. bargain beauty buy
- Best retinol serums to smooth skin
- Laser hair-removal and IPL machines to use at home
- Is Dior’s transfer-proof lipstick really as good as TikTok says?
How we tested
Our tester is no stranger to bouts of hormonal acne, blackheads, whiteheads and oily skin, so their skin was perfectly suited to this Paula’s Choice BHA liquid exfoliant. As it is an exfoliant, we ignored the brand’s recommendations of using it once or twice a day and eased ourselves in, using it around three times a week in the evenings, which we’ll explain more about further down.
To see real results, this is a slow-working product that needs time to show what it can really do. One popular TikTok video, in particular, trialled it over a 21-day period, and although some signs of improvement did come through, they did stress even longer would’ve made even more of a noticeable difference.
We used it over a 30-day period and did see visible signs of blackhead, oil and pore-size reduction, but would also say continued use would yield better results.
The method and products used
Although the TikTok beauty buffs have a lot of good things to say about this product, the one issue that does crop up is how often the brand recommends you use it: once to twice a day. As it works as a chemical exfoliant, some people have found that using it this much can cause dryness and irritation, and this can even lead to damage of the skin barrier, which is only going to worsen acne, redness and flakiness.
So, what we, and the skincare gurus of TikTok, would recommend is to use this only twice to three times a week when first finding your feet with this product, especially if you are new to using a chemical exfoliant. And be sure to avoid using it alongside other active exfoliants, such as retinol, AHA, benzoyl peroxide and tretinoin, and layer up with an SPF every day.
We applied the product after cleansing with a hydrating face wash, such as the Omorovicza cashmere cleanser [£16.20, Lookincredible.co.uk] and applied it to the face using the Face Halo make-up remover pad original 3s [£18, Boots.com], named best reusable make-up remover pads in our guide. After that, we applied a gentle night cream, such as the No7 protect and perfect intense advanced night cream [£20.49, Amazon.co.uk], to help hydrate the skin and lock in moisture.
The results
[The Independent]
As we’ve already stressed, this is a long-term results-driven product, so don’t expect to wake up overnight to clear skin. After around 30 days, you should start to see signs of it working, as our tester did, and these results are only going to improve as you keep using it.
After around the two-day mark, our tester did start to see a notable difference in their skin texture, which became smoother, with pores across the nose and the cheeks less visible, and hormonal acne around the chin and mouth did reduce in its amount, although it is yet to disappear altogether.
Our tester hasn’t started using it more than three times a week, as they found this was the right amount to keep the results yet not lead to any skin irritation or purging – when redness and acne flare up.
The key ingredients working to deliver these results are the 2 per cent salicylic acid, which aids the skin in shedding dead cells, green tea extract, which soothes the skin and provides antioxidants to fight free radicals and methylpropanediol which hydrates, leaving a dewy finish on the skin while allowing the salicylic acid to absorb even deeper into the dermis.
If you’re looking to test out this TikTok-hyped product for yourself, we strongly encourage you to do so, but please learn from other people’s mistakes and proceed with caution. If this is your first time using a chemical exfoliant, start off by using it twice a week and apply a small amount of the product to a cotton pad to gently sweep across the face, and stick to using an SPF every day too.
Our tester loved how easy it was to use, how well it slipped into their everyday skincare routine, and the amount of information about the product, thanks to TikTok, means you can really research how best to use it for your skin type before giving it a go.
So, we can safely say the Paula’s Choice 2 per cent BHA liquid exfoliant has passed our TikTok trial, and we’re sure to be keeping this one on our bathroom shelves. Just treat it as you would any other chemical exfoliant, and don’t slather it on without thinking about the side effects.
Do dermatologists recommend Paula's Choice?
Paula's Choice is dermatologist approved, being recommended for many years by skin experts and beauty editors alike. The effective, science-backed ingredients used in Paula's Choice products have helped create a reputable, positive view of the brand.
Is Paula's Choice exfoliant worth the money?
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant reduced my breakouts by ~70% after 3 days of using it at night! Note that timing is different for everyone. After 7 days of use, my skin felt smoother and softer.
Can Paula's Choice 2% BHA be used everyday?
A unique leave-on formula that's gentle enough for daily use on all skin types. Exfoliates dead skin cells while clearing pores for a more even, radiant tone, plus visibly reduces fine lines and wrinkles to reveal remarkably smoother, younger-looking skin.
Can Paula's Choice AHA and BHA be used together?
Yes, you can use AHA and BHA together. While most people do just fine by picking one or the other, there's nothing wrong with using both or experimenting to see which one works best for you. Just monitor how your skin responds and adjust usage if needed.