Paula's choice CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide
Works for
Anti-blemishBenzoyl peroxide, AllantoinWorks well
“This gentle leave-on exfoliant with salicylic acid clears stubborn acne and blackheads with a maximum pore-penetrating formula.”
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
MoisturizingAllantoin, Propylene glycol + 1 moreWorks
“It also calms redness and provides light hydration for healthy, flake-free skin.”
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": allantoin, caprylyl glycol.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
ExfoliationAllantoinNot delivered
“This gentle leave-on exfoliant with salicylic acid clears stubborn acne and blackheads with a maximum pore-penetrating formula.”
This product does not contain effective exfoliating ingredients. It might be able to deliver physical exfoliation, that is scrub off some of the dead cells on the surface of the skin. We do not recommend physical exfoliation, because it is not uniform (some bits of skin can get exfoliated too much while others not at all). It can also traumatize the skin and aggrevate acne and other skin conditions.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy1 strong irritant: Benzoyl peroxideMedium risk
Comedogenic1 ingredient rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale1 flagged
User reviews
1 of 1 community members would buy it again.
Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~40–60%
Propylene glycol~4.4–6.6%
- Irritation risk
- High
Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating
More about Propylene glycolBenzoyl peroxide2.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
A potent anti-bacterial ingredient that is effective against acne. Often leads to skin dryness and can be irritating
More about Benzoyl peroxideBisabolol~3.4–5.1%
- 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~2.5–3.8%
- 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 AllantoinAcrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer~2–2.9%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Maintains the texture of skincare products. Allows the product to spread evenly. Helps oil and water mix together
More about Acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymerHydroxyethylcellulose~1.3–2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to thicken product formulations and create gel-like textures
More about HydroxyethylcelluloseSodium citrate~0.95–1.45%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps to control the skin's pH level. Maintains the skin's natural film of amino-lactic acids and oils. Helps to preserve products
More about Sodium citrateLaureth-4~0.6–1.35%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
Helps water and oil mix together
More about Laureth-4Caprylyl glycol~0.45–1.05%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolSodium hydroxide~0.15–0.55%
Disodium edta~0.1–0.35%
Hexylene glycol~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps create a more spreadable product texture
More about Hexylene glycolPhenoxyethanol~0.05–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolIngredient list view
Water, Propylene glycol, Benzoyl peroxide, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium citrate, Laureth-4, Caprylyl glycol, Sodium hydroxide, Disodium edta, Hexylene glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Compare prices
Retailers ranked by price — lowest first.
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 choiceCLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl PeroxideYOUR PRODUCT | iS ClinicalTri-Active Exfoliant | DermadoctorPhysical Chemistry Facial Microdermabrasion and Multi-Acid Peel | ZiajaonlineZiaja Sensitive Skin Enzyme Peeling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 49% | 35% | 35% |
| Price | $37.00 | $104.00+$67.00 | $80.31+$43.31 | $7.31−$29.69 |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 1 of 3 | 1 of 3 | 1 of 3 |
| Key difference | — | — | Glycolic Acid | Panthenol |
| Irritancy | Medium | Medium | Low | Low |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Skin Authority Instant Perfection Peel PadsQ+A Apple AHA Exfoliating Gel
Product summary
"Paula's choice - CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide" is effective for: Anti-inflammatory and Anti-blemish
This product could be helpful for: Moisturizing, but its actives are not the most effective or are not well-studied.
Ingredient callouts
- In addition, this product contains Allantoin (3.20% - 4.80%). Allantoin is helpful in wound-healing and can help restore the skin barrier faster. It might also be able to improve scars, but the evidence is not very strong for this.
- Humectants (allantoin 3.20% - 4.80%). These ingredients help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improve the skin hydration.
What our users say
Based on 1 review 100% recommend this product- When it comes to comedogenicity, the reviewer found that it does not clog pores.
- When it comes to using this sunscreen under makeup, the user found that it pills under a foundation.
Price
The product retails for 38.00A$ in Australia and from 22.00$ up to 25.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 6 studies and safety reviews.
- 1Surfactants and experimental irritant contact dermatitisncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2Propylene Glycolpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3Skin-sensitizing and irritant properties of propylene glycolonlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 4
- 5
- 6Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Laureths 4 and 23journals.sagepub.com
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