Paula's Choice • Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant • Treatments

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Mermaid922 on 1/23/2011 10:16:00 PM more reviews by Mermaid922

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Here are my impressions after using this product for a year. First off, I should mention my skin is fairly blemish free overall, however during this time I stopped taking hormonal birth control so that may skew these result. Still, I don't think they will- I have been off hormones several months longer than I've used Paula's Choice BHA liquid. As someone who has generally good skin I assumed this would mean my skin would be pretty clear with little to no work. My routine didn't change, with the exception of adding PC's BHA liquid every morning and night after washing my face. I used the entire bottle, morning and night and never noticed the slighted difference. To be honest, I'm not going to bother with Paula's Choice products again.

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Jamima on 1/10/2011 5:50:00 AM more reviews by Jamima

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I've used this for years and would never be without it! I have an oily t-zone with large pores and I hate to think what they would look like if I didn't use this product. It declogs and refines very well. It also causes no irritation. I use it on my bikini area and legs to prevent ingrown hairs as I have those areas waxed and it keeps these areas smooth. My only complaint is that the bottle leaks when travelling.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* LaceyH on 1/5/2011 2:47:00 PM more reviews by LaceyH

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

i bought this because i was using the resist with the 2% BHA in it to fade some sun spots and acne scars, and my skin LOIVED it. not only did my spots go away, but so did the acne. of course, i didnt want to use the hydroquinone forever, so i figured i'd give this a try as a substitute since it's the same % of BHA.

price is a little high for my taste, over $25, but it WILL last a LONG time.
having said that, they reccommend that you use a cotton ball to put it on your face.... but i feel like that would waste too much of the product, so i just drip it on my face and then rub it in. For that reason, i'm not a fan of the packaging.

But i LOVE the product itself. this, in conjunction with her AHAm has cleared up my skin wonderfuly! will rebuy when i run out!

UPDATE: STILL going strong with this! i have to say, it will be the ONLY skincare product i've 100% finished! i've still got probably 2 more months or so of usage left, and now i'm toying with the idea of either rebuying this, or trying another of her BHA products.

my absolute favorite use for this is after i do a MUAC TCA peel. during the day or 2 when my skin gets super tight, right before it starts to peel, i start to get some breakouts, i guess b/c my skin cant breathe that well. so i use this 2 or 3 times a day, and problem solved, no breakouts! yay!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

alexju on 12/28/2010 4:22:00 PM more reviews by alexju

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Everyday when I wake up my skin look glowing and well exfoliated. My pores are tighten, less clogged pored. It soothe existing acne and bring it out. I waited 1 - 2 minute before applying other serum, moisturizer or sunscreen. I heard that it help antioxidant penetrate deeper. I dont really like the texture, it feels sticky.

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*TOP REVIEWER* thebobcat64 on 12/13/2010 11:08:00 PM more reviews by thebobcat64

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this when they had their $15 off $75 sale with free shipping. This helps keep me from breaking out and I alternate it with Alpha Hydroxy 10% lotion. My pores look less clogged when I use this, but it didn't completely rid me of blackheads.

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LovelyStars on 11/7/2010 1:24:00 AM more reviews by LovelyStars

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I LOVE THIS PRODUCT.
i am still on my first bottle. (: but i believe this is what keeps my skin really smooth and clear from all those clogged pores! i rely on it every night!

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*TOP REVIEWER* STACEYFFF on 11/1/2010 10:31:00 PM more reviews by STACEYFFF

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I'm a believer, on my sixth bottle! This product keeps my skin clear and smooth.

I wish it was a bit stronger though. Or maybe not. I might burn my face off LOL!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

uglybeautiful on 10/16/2010 7:29:00 AM more reviews by uglybeautiful

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My motto when it comes to dealing with Paula's products is 'Come with an open mind, even though she doesn't have one!'. I have many things to thank the woman for. She taught me to take proper care of my skin and although I don't agree with her on a thousand things (man, I love shimmer, I like blue eyeshadow, I wear orange lipstick!), most of the time, she is quite right when it comes to skincare.

I have been using the 2% BHA liquid for many years now, ever since it became available in Europe. Thanks to Paula, my skin was great before that but after I started using her BHA liquid, I have never looked back, even if shipping costs are astronomical and I have to order three bottles at a time to compensate.

I have combo skin not very prone to breakouts but that does tend to get blackheads. I use the liquid at night only and my skin feels and looks fantastic. Do I still get blackheads and such? Of course I do! But not really aggressive ones. I may go a few days without using it, and sometimes I spend a week or or two, and yes, the first time using it after that it may sting a wee bit, but for me it is really nothing. It doesn't dry my skin, in fact, I find it quite moisturising for the most part of the year.

Now ladies, I really never had problem skin so I cannot attest to what this could do on severe acne or rosacea. However to everybody else: perseverance, people, perseverance. If you really expect to see results from this or any product in the first few days, you are going to be looking for something new forever. Perfect baby skin exists on babies. Celebrities, normal people, they all have imperfections, little bumps, you name it, so miracles cannot be expected. However this liquid does its job properly and has allowed me to go foundation-less through life for at least 6 or 7 years now and more to come!

18 out of 20 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

amberw22 on 10/15/2010 9:59:00 AM more reviews by amberw22

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

I bought my first bottle of this and it really worked for my skin. I don't have acne or blackheads but I do have rosecea and it seemed to help. When I ran out I started using the Neutragena gel BHA (that she also recommends) but It balled up under makeup so I ended up buying a second bottle of this. I like the liquid so that I'm not applying yet another layer of lotion to my skin but I wish the bottle had a better applicator. I pour a few drops out into my palm and then smear it over my face. It feels a little moisturizing which is odd for a liquid but it quickly sinks in. I 'd def recommend you try this at least once.

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three_black_cats on 10/10/2010 2:32:00 PM more reviews by three_black_cats

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Red, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I originally bought the gel formula of this product, and it was horrible on my face. The gel was great on the backs of my arms and totally helps with the bumpy skin there, but on my face it was sticky and almost greasy, and definitely left me looking shiny. The lotion formula is amazing, though.


It leaves my skin well moisturized, but with a nice almost-matte finish. It sinks in quickly and leaves my skin feeling supple. Over time, it seems like it has improved my skin texture, and cut down on blackheads and minor breakouts. Plus, to my amazement, it has totally minimized any dry/flaky areas as long as I use it consistently under anything else I put on my face. A little bit goes a long way, which completely offsets the price. This makes my skin feel amazing.


The only drawback is the shipping cost. I'll try to stock up whenever Paula offers a free shipping event.


EDIT: I've found that this sinks into my skin better and gives the best results if I use it right after I shower and/or wash my face. If I let my skin dry before applying it, it takes much longer to sink in. Still, this is my holy grail of BHA treatments. I've ordered it again and again. I still wish Paula offered more economical shipping options, though. Best to grab this in addition to the 2% BHA body treatment when there is a free shipping event.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

emge27 on 10/9/2010 4:58:00 AM more reviews by emge27

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This improved my skin pretty fast for about one week, it got smoother and clearer. Unfurtunately after that I got a very unusual breakout like I've never had one before in years with lots of tiny inflamed pimples. When I stopped using this product those pimples healed pretty quickly and the beakout went away.
So I guess the salicylic acid itself might have worked at first, but something in this product didn't agree with my skin at all.

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LadyValea on 10/5/2010 2:43:00 PM more reviews by LadyValea

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this stuff!! I have normal to dry skin and I use this liquid with the shieido cotton rounds at night after cleansing! feels tingly and improves the texture of my skin!! Love it!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jlualwayyz on 10/1/2010 9:25:00 PM more reviews by jlualwayyz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I use this after i cleanse my face at night time. I've found that this makes my skin very dry with continuous use. Since i am acne prone I use benzoyl peroxide, so on the days i use benzoyl peroxide i will skip this toner but on the days when i dont use bp i replace it with this bha toner. This toner helps with my acne and oiliness.

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*TOP REVIEWER* emmgill on 10/1/2010 1:31:00 AM more reviews by emmgill

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I love this lotion! It is one of the more 'thicker' lotions that I've tried, but it absorbs into the skin so well and leaves a semi-matte finish. In the past I have tried all of Paula's BHA products. The gel was too 'greasy'.

The liquid is great! It's the best for when I break out. But I can't use it on my skin when I'm not breaking out because it is too drying. This is not the case with the lotion. Even though I do use an AHA moisturiser, I do still love how my skin feels after being treated with BHA. The lotion allows me to use a BHA product all the time.

I now use the BHA lotion frequently and i use the BHA liquid only when i break out and summer and this system seems to work wonderfully.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* janet1028 on 9/29/2010 1:28:00 PM more reviews by janet1028

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

Paula says on her website that BHA products are good for rosacea. I started with the 1% which didn't do much of anything then graduated to this and after six weeks, I'm giving it up. All that is happening is that I am breaking out in nasty pimples-a problem I don't normally have.

Every two years or so, I drink the Paula's Choice Kool-ade. Either I don't want to spend the money on what does work for me or I get swayed by the propaganda. In the end, I get irritated at wasting my money and time.

I find that Paula is a tough critic of other products while all of the reviews on her site about her products are sterling. (With the occasional negative comment thrown in to keep it balanced.) Meanwhile, over here, we're not as enthusiastic. Perhaps because she has a staff of reviewers now who base the reviews on the ingredient list rather than actual use and because they have a vested interest in the success of the line, we get the hard sell.

Look, if it works for you, fabulous. But it might not work for everyone. (That's what I
keep saying to myself.)

10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

devilgurl on 9/22/2010 7:52:00 PM more reviews by devilgurl

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I loooove this product! I bought it during the anniversary sale with free shipping, since I live in Canada and it's such a pain to order PC products otherwise. This has seriously transformed my skin. I used to have clogged pores and lots of acne scars and small red bumps in my cheek area, but now it's smooth and almost perfect! The clogged pores in my chin have disappeared too. It's also super easy to get the gunk out of my pores now, just a light squeeze and the white stuff comes out so easily (sorry for TMI).

I only use it at night, after PC balancing toner and before my regular moisturizer. I'm so glad I ordered this because I almost gave up hope of having nice skin. This is very affordable too, I just wish it was more accessible!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

busyscmom on 9/18/2010 1:55:00 PM more reviews by busyscmom

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

For the first few weeks after I started using this product it worked really well for me. But after that within couple of hours after use my skin would feel very uncomfortable...verrry tight and dehydrated. Unbearable...the worst part was that regardless of what moisturiser I used over it I would still end up feeling the same. On days when I din't use this I felt fine. I have had the same reaction all the BHA formulations in this line. I now use a porduct from Neutrogena which has a Paula's pick rating.

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whm167 on 9/15/2010 9:47:00 PM more reviews by whm167

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Amazing. I never thought my skin could look like this again (ie.. when i was 12, before i hit adolescence with oily, clogged skin and large pores!). Well, i still have all of those but it has been reduced dramatically because of this product! I noticed results only after 3 days, and after a week the appearance of my pores had diminished, blackheads had been reduced and there was much less oil being produced on my T-zone! Skin looks and feels very soft and smooth! Highly recommended.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

xxSugarComaxx on 9/13/2010 1:56:00 PM more reviews by xxSugarComaxx

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Absolutely LOVE this product! It has transformed my skin so completely, I look like a different person! It has almost stopped my breakouts and my skin is the softest it's ever been! I've already gone through one bottle and got another today, I love it! I also use it on skin/chest area.

Amazing stuff, I tell ya!

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mayasusanti on 9/10/2010 3:57:00 AM more reviews by mayasusanti

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I tried the sample size before bought the original size.I found its more liquid w sample n quite like it as its absorb easily to the skin.but its not w the bottle one.its thicker n heavier and take a year to absorb. I've been using for
1 month w/o significant result, my chin still full of white n black head....don't know if have to keep using it or quit!!

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