Paulas Choice–SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant–Facial Exfoliant for Blackheads, Enlarged Pores, Wrinkles & Fine Lines, 4 oz Bottle

If you actually understand how to use it, it’s amazing.
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.

Pretty good
I have dry and sensitive skin and I use this exfoliant once a day. I believe on the back it says that it can be used twice a day but for me that’s definitely too harsh. I started using it twice is week and have worked up to once a day and that seems like a good frequency for me. When I do use it I apply it gently with a cotton pad, if I’m too abrasive my skin becomes irritated and starts to burn. However when used correctly (for me) it feels as though I get dirt and oils off of my face and out of my pores. I had a lot of texture and when I used this exfoliant while protecting my moisture barrier I noticed a difference in about 10 days.

I LOVE IT!!
I have sensitive and combination skin and this does not burn or irritate it. I followed the directions on the bottle, started off using it every other day, now I use it every morning. If I have a bad breakout from my period I will use it day and night until it clears up, usually just on the affected areas. After I cleanse and rinse my face in the morning, I use about three drops over my entire face and on my neck. I have noticed such a difference in the texture and appearance of my skin, very glowy and smooth. Highly recommend!

👍👍

I planned on waiting a couple of weeks before giving this product a review, however recent events persuaded me to write one sooner.After tons of research and paying almost $50 for it, I figured I’d give this product an honest try.Opening the bottle I thought, “how much could a thin watery liquid really improve the sebaceous filaments and blackheads on my nose?” I was wary about whether Paula’s choice stuff would actually work considering I’ve tried so many different products to deal with my strawberry nose.But I tried it out and gave it an honest go.After about the 3rd day I noticed my pores were considerably empty. They were still the same size, but no longer filled with oily blackened gunk.I was pleasantly surprised, yet suspicious.After so many trials with other products that ended in disappointment I was cautious about whether this was actually working or not, or if the results would last. Even still, I noticed a drastic improvement in my pore’s appearance.Then a coworker commented on my skin. She said it was looking “amazing” and particularly my nose was looking incredible. She inquired about what I was using.I’m a 30 year old man and this was an unsolicited observation about the pores on my nose. I’ve tried so many different things to deal with the large gunk pores on my nose (derma rolling, retinoid creams, glycolic acid peels, facial cleansers, exfoliants, etc…) however this 2% salicylic acid exfoliant has worked the best thus far.After doing some research I found out that BHA acid (salicylic aid) is a small enough molecule to penetrate deep into the pores and chip away at the dense hardened oil buildup thats inside the pores which gives them their distended appearance. Its been over a week now, and my pores are looking as empty as they’ve ever looked and are also shrinking.I exfoliate with an abrasive sponge in the shower and hope that continuous use of this product, along with regular exfoliation, will result in small looker pores.Even though its been only over a week I notice drastic improvements in my pore’s appearance.