A friend of mine once had a book called “Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” written by a fabulous woman named Paula Begoun. The book was filled with all sorts of information to help people make the right choices when going to the beauty counter. Ms. Begoun, a.k.a. “The Cosmetic Cop” is an esthetician and founder of Paula’s Choice skincare.
In addition to selling the Paula’s Choice skincare line, the Paula’s Choice website also has a section where many brands of products are reviewed. Due to her objectivity and fairness in reviews, Ms. Begoun has always been one of my favorite industry experts. I’ve even used her “Beautypedia” as a reference in some of my own writings.
Needless to say, since I’m such a fan, I was absolutely thrilled when Paula’s Choice sent me a bottle of Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid exfoliant! Ideally, the skin should exfoliate itself, but sometimes it doesn’t quite work out that way.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid is purported to rapidly exfoliate not only the surface of the skin, but inside the pores, which unclogs and improves appearance. Key ingredients are methylpropanediol and green tea, but the star ingredient is salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) (Paula’s Choice, 2016).
The awesome thing about salicylic acid is that it’s oil soluble, so it can penetrate into the pores. This means it’s not only great for acne-prone skin, but it can help transport other ingredients deeper. Another advantage is that it’s a lot less irritating than most AHAs- a definite plus for those with sensitive skin!
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid is packaged in a bottle similar to toners. There’s a little hole at the top, and you’re supposed to apply the liquid with a cotton ball. However, I rarely use cotton balls because it just seems a bit wasteful- I just pour some onto my fingers and spread it around onto my face. As such, I wish there was a little spout, kind of like some lotions have. This is such a minor issue, though, that it doesn’t affect my positive opinion.
When using Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid, it does have a slight smell. The best way I can describe it is that it’s similar to the smell of when you first open up a new swimming pool inflatable- kind of like vinyl. Strangely enough, I actually like this smell…lol, it makes me think of summer and the beach! Nevertheless, it’s not strong, and it dissipates super fast.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid is to be used once or twice a day, after cleansing and toning, but before your serum and moisturizer. The liquid goes on very easily, it’s kind of slippery, and almost sticky for a second or two, until it’s absorbed, then I can’t even tell I’ve used it. I’ve experienced no irritation whatsoever, and it’s really done a great job on my pores. I had a pimple that was starting to form, and it brought it to the surface FAST, and it went away quicker than ever.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid exfoliant is a superb product. It’s a non-irritating, true multi-tasker, and well worth the $28.00 price tag!
You can get Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid from Paula’s Choice. Click the banner below and get 15% off, BUT use code PRBHA16, through May 30, 2016, at checkout to get 20% off plus FREE shipping!
Source:
Paula’s Choice (2016). 2% BHA Liquid. Paula’s Choice, LLC. Retrieved from www.paulaschoice.com.
