Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Leave-On Exfoliant

Will purchase this over and over! I swear this completely changed my skin. I was dealing with those tiny little white bumps/pimples, on my chin and after adding this into my routine (I used at night with moisturizer), my skin has become so much clearer and smoother. I’ve been really impressed with how much of a difference it’s made without making my routine complicated. My skin just looks more even and feels so much smoother when I use it consistently. This has officially become a must-have in my skincare routine, and I’ll absolutely keep repurchasing it

My skin type: - Very Dry, easily dehydrated - Oily nose - Prone to stubborn acne and closed comedones - Redness on chin and cheeks (not rosacea) I already use a nightly Tretinoin cream (.04% concentration) to help with my acne and premature signs of aging but decided with my derm that incorporating a BHA would be a good idea to help with my seriously stubborn closed comedones and some irritating textural issues. It was between this and the Cerave SA lotion and I ultimately decided on this due to the higher concentration of salicylic acid. It's moisturizing, and feels sticky for the first 5-10 minutes after application but seems to sinks in to something of a satin finish on me and I can no longer feel it on my skin. You just have to be a little patient. My skin feels well hydrated and plump after it settles and looks really smooth and my pores aren't as obvious. It sits just fine under makeup for me but I'm not a new user to chemical exfoliants so I don't have lots of dead skin pilling up or sloughing off when I use it, my skin is, for the most part, already very smooth outside the acne and CCs. Occasionally I'll apply it further down my neck/decolletage than usual and WOW do I old skin just ball up and peel right away - it's so gross but also satisfying. So those that don't exfoliate often or are new to BHA/AHAs will likely have issues with foundation until their skin adjusts (but it will adjust). My advice in those cases is to either use this at night for the first few weeks or just accept going barefaced for a little while if you can. I'd strongly suggest not applying this product over anything that you feel does not dry down fully, the times I've attempted to use it after serums or heavier products it takes forever to sink in and sometimes never fully does. I save all my serums and essences for after this has absorbed and it's far easier to work with it as a result. My steps go like this most days: ACWell Licorice toner --- PC 2% BHA --- 10% Niacinamide serum --- TO Matryxil serum --- Secret Key Black Snail cream or Syn-ake cream w/ 3 drops Stratia Fortify oil --- Sunscreen. It works fairly quickly IMO, on my neck where I typically don't apply my Tret at night I noticed the peeling and balling of dead skin on day one and on my face where I have a patch of really awful CCs I noticed them getting smaller and smoother by around day 3-4. I'm going on about 8 days now and they're barely visible unless I'm right up in the mirror and feel as if they're almost gone when I touch my fingers to that area. I do have some slight peeling of the skin around my mouth and nose but it's not terrible (likely because I already exfoliate the heck out of my skin with the tret). Some tips and things keep in mind: 1) DO NOT RINSE IT OFF. I don't understand some of the top reviews advising people to do that, it says on the bottle not to rinse and nearly all chemical exfoliators are meant to be left on until the next cleansing specifically so they can do their job. If you rinse it off you're either going to prevent it from properly exfoliating or end up irritating the hell out of your skin. If you have oily skin and feel this might be heavy on you than you can probably just use this on bare skin and then sunscreen if you use in the AM or a lightweight lotion/cream and be done with it, but you need to leave it on your skin. 2) You have got to use sunscreen while you're using this product! Any BHA or AHA exfoliant causes increased sun sensitivity and you have to address that in your routine. You should already use sunscreen daily but it becomes a must when you incorporate a chemical exfoliator or you risk sun damage. 3) Less is more! Don't slop this on your face or soak a cotton pad in it, a little goes a long way and you'll be kicking yourself if you apply way too much and have to wait 20+ minutes for it to sink in. Use a shake or two and add more if needed but go easy. 4) Expect some irritation initially. Chemical exfoliants can be harsh and rough even on sturdy skin and you have to give yourself time to adjust. Over-exfoliation is a possibility but sometimes just introducing a BHA or AHA into your routine can cause some sensitivity. Don't panic and just be gentle to your skin. Use ceramides (like Cerave Skin Renewing cream) or fatty oils to soothe your face if needed and try to stay away from any harsh products or acids like Vitamin C right after applying this to avoid really burning your face.

I’ve been using this exfoliant for three years now, and it’s my favorite Paula’s Choice product. I use it a couple of times a week, and it leaves my skin feeling so much smoother, cleaner, and refreshed. It cleans out my pores better than anything else I’ve ever tried, without leaving my face feeling irritated or overly dry. It’s powerful but gentle at the same time, which is so hard to find. My daughter uses it now too, and I wish I’d had it when I was a teen! A little goes a long way, and it has become a permanent part of my skincare routine. I’ll buy this on repeat forever. It’s the best!

I did a search on AI and asked for a solution to help clear up my blackheads. It told me to use BHA. I then searched and asked what the best brand/solution to buy and multiple AI engines put "Paula's Choice" on blast! I was like, I have to try this "cult-favorite!" I was going to buy the smallest size since I was buying it for the first time, however I'm so happy that I bought this size. It's a great size and should last me a bit. I was BEYOND STUNNED at how well it worked. I cannot believe that I have been squeezing my blackheads this whole time! Unbelievable, and I can't imagine how I've damaged my skin by doing so! Had I know that it was this easy to clear them up, I'd have done this from the jump! I'd say it cleared them up in a week's time. Make sure that you apply it to a clean, dry face (I used it with a cotton pad the first time or two and realized how much product was just getting wasted using the cotton pad so then I just pressed the whole bottle up against my nose and chin where I was applying it and slightly lifted the bottle away from my skin just enough to get what I needed onto my skin, then rub/spread it gently to where I need it). I started using it every other night. Then worked my way to every night. Now that they're gone I just use it about 4-5x a week at night. Make sure that you let it dry for 10 minutes before applying your moisturizer. Lastly - do NOT go out into the sun without sunscreen on when using this product. I would say even if it's not currently on your face. The only reason that I didn't give it 5 stars b/c IT IS AN AMAZING PRODUCT is that it's just too expensive.

I have used products that are either too weak to notice any difference or so strong that my skin peels so badly that I'm embarrassed to leave my home. Paula's liquid exfoliant is absolutely amazing! It goes on like water and my initial impression was that it would do nothing. In fact, after my first (and literally every application since), I've been shocked at the improvement in my skin. Last week, I ran out of Paula's and decided to use my old tretinoin before bed. The next morning, my skin was coming off like a snake's skin in layers! It was so embarrassing that I actually called in sick to work, because my skin looked so horrible! I immediately ordered more of Paula's exfoliant. I had yet to venture out of my home, as my skin was coming off in literal sheets! And my face itched! If I scratched it, my skin would flake off like the worst dandruff anyone had ever seen. I was so embarrassed that I called in sick again that day. Thankfully, the Paula's exfoliation liquid came in that afternoon. I immediately applied it, and I reapplied it before bed that night. The following morning, my skin looked perfect! No more flaking or peeling off in sheets. No more itching. Paula's Skin Perfecting Exfoliant is both incredibly gentle and incredibly powerful! I honestly don't know how it can be so perfectly both gentle and powerful, but I will never go without it again. In fact, I'm buying it again today because of Prime Day and it's on sale. I wish I could afford to buy 50 refills now. I'm seldom this effusive in my praise, but I feel far more strongly about how fantastic this product is than I've been able to express here.

I’ve been using this Paula’s Choice exfoliant for a couple of months now, and it has completely changed the way my skin feels. I’ve tried a lot of facial exfoliants over the years, but this one stands out from everything else I’ve used. What I love most is that it’s both gentle and incredibly effective. It doesn’t leave my face feeling irritated or overly dry, yet I can actually feel it working. I use it once a week, and after each application my skin feels noticeably cleaner, smoother, and refreshed. It seems to clear out my pores better than anything else I’ve tried. The biggest sign that it’s working is that I know exactly when it’s time to use it again. If I go much longer than a week without it, my face starts to feel heavy and congested. After I use it, that feeling is completely gone, and my skin feels light, clean, and renewed. A little goes a long way, so the bottle lasts longer than I expected. I was fortunate enough to catch it on Prime Day and immediately ordered two more bottles so I wouldn’t run out. That’s something I rarely do with skincare products, but this one has earned a permanent place in my routine. If you’re looking for an exfoliant that’s effective without being harsh, I highly recommend giving this one a try. It has made a noticeable difference in the texture and overall feel of my skin, and it’s easily one of the best skincare products I’ve purchased. Five stars without hesitation.

Holy moly... Why am I so late to the game with this product??? I turned the magic 4-0 and have been trying to find something for my skin to just look better. Over all more healthy. I've always had pretty decent skin, normal to dry and leaning more dry as I get older. But lately it's just looking dull, my pores getting bigger, and these ugly sebaceous filaments on the nose and chin.. ahhhhh!!! Enter this Paula's choice BHA.. The very first use I noticed my pores were almost completely GONE! Along with the filiments! I have dry skin and was worried this would be too much along side using retinal but so far so good! I use it once or twice a week to sluff off dead skin cells and wow I am blown away. I've tried to use this every night bc I got greedy and addicted to the results. But too much of a good thing can still be bad for the skin. So just a couple times a week. I haven't been brave enough to use before makeup yet. Pro tip: Dab a tiny bit on your finger and apply to your ears. My stubborn ear filiments and black heads - GONE!!! Second pro tip: Apply to scalp before showering to help remove scalp psoriasis!! What can this stuff NOT do?!?! Automatic monthly subscription!

First off, I don’t do reviews unless a product is really bad or really good, because I expect that a product should do what it is advertised to do. I’m also HIGHLY skeptical when it comes to beauty products. I was told in my 20’s that once you get large pores, you can’t shrink them. So, I made the best I could with the pores on my nose that had already started to get more noticeable. I used all sorts of things, pore strips, clay masks and charcoal masks. My regimen still includes steaming, then putting a clay mask on my t zone over night once a week or so. I’m 49, and I was still under the belief that I would have to deal with enlarged pores, along with the fine lines I’ve started to develop, all as a normal part of aging. But this year, when face primer and makeup was no longer hiding my pores, I had enough! I would like to say quickly, my pores are clean, they aren’t blackheads, they are just large, and numerous. So, looking on Amazon I came across this product. I read the reviews and it seemed as though this worked for others, and wasn’t ridiculously priced, so I bought it a month ago, and started using it as directed. Twice a day, morning and night, after I wash my face, I apply it to my entire face, neck, and chest. Once upon a time I was also told, whatever you do for your face, do for your entire neck and chest, this is called your décolletage, and you will thank yourself when you are older, because if you don’t apply your beauty routine to the whole area, you will have a crepey neck and wrinkly cleavage, which will stand out because it won’t match your face. In the immortal words of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias: “Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it's marchin' across your face!” So there is no getting away from aging, but we can at least keep moisturized and looking our best. I have sensitive skin, and can’t just use anything on my face, other reviewers said the same, and they had no issues with this product irritating their sensitive skin. Absolutely did NOT irritate my skin! I wash my face, apply it, then apply my lotion. No burning of any sort. It was so gentle, I was half thinking it might not even have anything in it to even do what it says it can do! A month later, I can tell you, my pores haven’t completely disappeared, but are smaller, and have become shallower as well. You can still see them, but I am looking with a super high magnifying mirror. I hope that it will continue to make them smaller, but even if I have hit the maximum that it can do for me, I will keep buying it and using it to make sure to keep them the same level I’ve achieved so far. With a primer and makeup, I’m very happy that my nose pores no longer stand out! 5 stars, highly recommend, and I’m putting this on my list of subscriptions so I never run out! If you got to the bottom of this, you have the patience to buy this and give it a chance. Tell ‘em Large Marge sent ya! ;)

As someone who is a bit of a skin care addict I highly recommend this product! Especially if you have troublesome acne prone skin like me. I use this every other night in between using Paula’s choice retinol cream. It is also fantastic when you get a spot and need it to be gone ASAP! Just dab some on the affected area (I normally like to drench the area in it) and it will be gone or hugely reduced in a few days. If you can carefully remove any of the whitehead from the spot it will be gone even quicker. This product helps to bring everything out. It also doesn’t aggravate my skin like some anti-spot lotions can. Although I use this especially against spots, it does also help to make the skin smoother and more refined. By using Paula’s choice retinol and the BHA lotion on alternate nights, I’ve noticed an improvement in my over all skin tone. It looks supple, smoother, clearer and dewy.

Llevo años usando este producto porque me ayuda a controlar mis espinillas ocasionales. Mantiene los poros limpios y se notan menos. No podría estar sin él

Love this , it really works, skin became much prettier! Will buy again 👍

I love this exfoliator! It’s great for when my skin feels congested after a few days of wearing makeup, I use it around 2 times a week and over time it’s really helped my skin feel smoother and have less blemishes. I bought a mini one to take when I travel or stay at my partners, this is really useful!

De los mejores exfoliantes que he probado. La textura es súper ligera y cuando te lo pones la piel lo absorbe rapidísimo, dejando una capa muy ligera que hace que la piel se sienta súper suave. Pero el verdadero cambio se nota después de un rato, cuando ves la piel mucho más limpia y con una textura muchísimo más bonita. De verdad me sorprendió muchísimo este producto.