Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Summary of Reviews
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant smooths texture and helps with clogged pores, blackheads, and acne, according to several creators. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss notes it's best for oily or acne-prone skin because BHA penetrates deeper, while Dr. Vanita Rattan highlights it has no fragrance, alcohol, or essential oils. However, laralikesmascara reports her skin reacted with irritation, calling it "angry looking skin the next day," so patch testing is wise.
Full Reviews
Positive
- “It helps get rid of texture. It helps brighten the skin. It just helps smooth the skin out beautifully”1:34–1:42
- “I've been using this for years, and I actually worked with them earlier this year, so shout out to Paula's Choice for working with me. I genuinely love this product. I think this product is so good”1:42–1:45
- “I find that it works with most skin types”1:51–1:57
- “Paula's Choice Exfoliant, it's amazing”2:27–2:33
- “One tip I do have when you use this, add this on your bare skin and let this dry down. I would say a good 5 minutes and then go on with a serum or a moisturizer. I think that's where I find it to work the best when you let it really absorb into your skin”2:31–2:37
- Source: 10 more high-end sephora makeup products you actually need (2026) | part 2 - Jun 11, 2026
- “It's got no fragrance, no alcohol, no essential oils, which is excellent”28:58–29:00
- “It's fantastic to reduce breakouts because it is fat soluble”29:09–29:11
- “I absolutely love this product, and I would buy this product if this was my main concern, which is oily skin”29:37–29:39
- Source: Best and worst acids for acne-prone skin of colour - May 12, 2026
- “Amazing changed my skin for the better”17:41–17:47
- “It is very strong though so don't use this every day”17:45–17:49
- “It does everything it claims it does. It helps shrink pores, unclog pores, it helps with blackheads, it helps with acne. It's incredible”17:52–17:59
- “The price is not too bad too. Like this will last you ages 'cause you're not using this every day”18:01–18:05
- “My skin just looks so so smooth when I use it. It's incredible”18:05–18:11
- “This is top tier status. I highly highly recommend this, especially if you struggle with congestion prone skin, blackheads, acne, the whole shebang”18:11–18:15
- Source: Ranking TikTok viral products again (brutally honest) - Jan 22, 2025
- “If you have teeny tiny bumps on your skin, like those ones that are really really stubborn, that will not go away or if you have clogged pores, enlarged pores, trust me when I tell you, Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid exfoliant changed my skin”3:16–3:21
- Source: Top 50 Amazon Prime Day Deals 2026: Beauty, Hygiene & Jewelry - Jun 23, 2026
- “This is probably more geared towards people who have more intense acne or really oily, because BHA loves oil, and that is going to go deeper into your skin”7:35–7:39
- Source: Sephora Sale Faves for Every Concern from a Dermatologist - Apr 4, 2026
Mixed / Negative
- “From the very outset when I got this my skin did not like it”20:04–20:11
- “I just never I never like this product. It never worked for me. I always woke up with like angry looking skin the next day”20:21–20:25
- “I just need to declutter it”20:11–20:14
- Source: Panning makeup products this summer - Jun 27, 2026
What creators say
- Consensus
- 4.1 / 5 from 5 creator reviewsGrailPeople ratings based on creator reviews.
- Good for
- Acne (3) · Oily skin (2) · Congestion / blackheads (2) · Large pores (2)
- Features
- Fragrance-free (1) · Alcohol-free (1) · Exfoliating (2)
- ⚠ less suited to everyday (1)
- ⚠ irritated some skin (1)
Product details
Details
- Type
- liquid exfoliant
- Finish
- —
- Shade
- —
- Key ingredients
- Salicylic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol
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