Paula's choice 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant
Works for
Anti-blemishSalicylic acid, AllantoinWorks well
“2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant”
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: salicylic acid. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
ExfoliationSalicylic acid, AllantoinWorks well
“2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant”
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: salicylic acid.
MoisturizingCetyl alcohol, Dimethicone + 7 moreWorks
“Powered by a mighty blend of antioxidant-rich ingredients, nourishing vitamin E, texture-refining salicylic acid and finally, soothing chamomile and willow herb extracts, this gently exfoliating formula works to lightly slough away dead cells on the surface.”
This product can help soften the skin and reduce its moisture loss with emollients and occlusives: dimethicone, dimethiconol.
Keep in mind that this product does not contain effective ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. This is why an additional product with humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid can be helpful (apply it before this product for the best results).
Anti-oxidationNot advertised by the brand · Epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract, Camellia oleifera leaf extract + 3 moreWorks well
This product contains antioxidants (camellia oleifera leaf extract) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
The following ingredients - epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.
Anti-agingSide benefit the brand mentions · No ingredient credited for this claimMay help
“Its silky, lightweight formula is packed with antioxidants and anti-irritants to promote healthy-looking, radiant skin that feels firmer and younger.”
This product contains camellia oleifera leaf extract. This ingredient help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they might be able to prevent early signs of aging (like fine lines and wrinkles), at least to some extent. These ingredients will not be able to "reverse" signs of aging.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy12 flagged ingredientsLow risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
User reviews
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Butylene glycol~5.4–8.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
More about Butylene glycolCetyl alcohol~3.4–5.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
More about Cetyl alcoholPpg-14 butyl ether~2.7–4.1%
Salicylic acid~1.25–2.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid)
More about Salicylic acidDimethicone~1.8–2.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish
More about DimethiconeTocopheryl acetate~1.4–2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
More about Tocopheryl acetateChamomilla recutita flower extract~1.2–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- High
Plant extract that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a potential allergen and can be irritating
More about Chamomilla recutita flower extractEpilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract~0.95–1.4%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that might contain antioxidants
More about Epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extractCamellia oleifera leaf extract~0.55–1.3%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A plant extract that can help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation, even though it is not usually used in sufficient concentration in cosmetics
More about Camellia oleifera leaf extractCucumis melo fruit extract~0.45–1%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A fruit extract that might have some anti-oxidant properties
More about Cucumis melo fruit extractBisabolol~0.35–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An active component of chamomile plant that historically has been used to calm down irritated skin. A recent study shows that bisabolol indeed can have some anti-inflammatory effect on skin, even though conclusive data is lacking. Bisabolol has a sweet floral scent and can be added to products for its aromatic properties
More about BisabololAllantoin~0.15–0.6%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
More about AllantoinCyclopentasiloxane~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
More about CyclopentasiloxaneCyclohexasiloxane~0.2–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that serves as an emollient. Helps create a nice non-greasy feels
More about CyclohexasiloxaneDimethiconol~0.3–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that makes products more spreadable and keeps skin smooth. Helps to add gloss to skin and may visually fill in fine lines/wrinkles for short time
More about DimethiconolPeg-40 stearate~0.2–0.7%
Sorbitan stearate~0.15–0.65%
Polysorbate 20~0.15–0.65%
Pvm/ma decadiene crosspolymer~0.15–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Polyacrylamide~0.15–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used to improve product texture and help oil and water mix together
More about PolyacrylamideC13-14 isoparaffin~0.15–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin, dissolve other ingredients and create a thicker product consistency
More about C13-14 isoparaffinLaureth-7~0.1–0.4%
Disodium edta~0.1–0.3%
Sodium hydroxide~0.1–0.3%
Hexylene glycol~0.05–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps create a more spreadable product texture
More about Hexylene glycolCaprylyl glycol~0.05–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolEthylhexylglycerin~0.05–0.15%
Phenoxyethanol~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolIngredient list view
Water, Butylene glycol, Cetyl alcohol, Ppg-14 butyl ether, Salicylic acid, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl acetate, Chamomilla recutita flower extract, Epilobium angustifolium flower/leaf/stem extract, Camellia oleifera leaf extract, Cucumis melo fruit extract, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Peg-40 stearate, Sorbitan stearate, Polysorbate 20, Pvm/ma decadiene crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Disodium edta, Sodium hydroxide, Hexylene glycol, Caprylyl glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| Paula's choice2% BHA Body Spot ExfoliantYOUR PRODUCT | PUDDERDÅSERNE.DKT-Zone Peeling | REVOLUTION SKINCARESensitive Skin Peeling Solution | Beauty RxTetrafoliant 10% Peel Pads | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 79% | 79% | 78% |
| Price | — | — | — | — |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 3 of 8 | 1 of 8 | 3 of 8 |
| Key difference | — | Niacinamide | Gluconolactone | Glycolic Acid |
| Irritancy | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Geek Gorgeous Cheer upRevox Just Salicylic Acid 2%
Product summary
"Paula's choice - 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant" is effective for: Anti-blemish and Exfoliation
This product could be helpful for: Anti-aging and Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- Salicylic acid (1.25% - 2.50%). This is an oil-soluble exfoliating acid. Because of this property, it can work inside pores and help reduce the congestion. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and is used to treat acne. Because it is a quite strong exfoliator, be careful with using this product too often: it could result in over-exfoliation.
Price
The product retails from 31.00£ up to 35.34£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 12 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive reviewncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2Beta Hydroxy Acidsfda.gov
- 3A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparationssciencedirect.com
- 4
- 5
- 6Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyoljournals.sagepub.com
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