Price: USD$17.95 (118 mL)
Rating: 
(I took a star off for not being a natural product!)
Website: http://www.cosmeticscop.com/
I’ve been using a new product for a few weeks now, and it’s been working miracles on my skin. I didn’t want to tell you about it too early in case it stopped working so well, or in case it was just a coincidence that my skin was doing better, but I think it’s time that I share my thoughts and my success with this product.
Actually I’ve already mentioned it a lot in the High on Health forum and in some of my blog comments. It’s Paula’s Choice 2% BHA gel.
First, a little warning …
It’s important to note that this is NOT a natural product. So if you want to stick to a natural routine, then this product is best avoided.
BHA stands for ‘Beta Hydroxy Acid’ and it works by exfoliating the pores from deep inside the pore itself, instead of just on the surface like ‘regular’ exfoliators do. The active ingredient in Paula’s Choice BHA is Salicylic Acid which you may already have seen in a ton of other acne treatment products. Paula’s BHA supposedly has its Salicylic Acid at the perfect pH level to work properly, I don’t know weather this is true, but it seems to work well for me, and this product has great reviews from others that have used it on makeupalley.com
The gel also comes as a lotion if you prefer, and as a 1% which is a little gentler on the skin.
After using the product for a few days I realized that I should have bought the 1% because the 2% seems to be quite strong for my very sensitive and very dry skin. I can only use a very small amount each time (about half the size of a pea, yes I’m not exaggerating that …the bottle is going to last me years) and only once a day when the recommended use is twice daily. I found that if I used it twice a day my skin went a little pink and too dry. I’ve read posts in forums from beauty therapists who say that it’s bad to use BHA’s on your skin every single day, so I’m happy to use just a teeny tiny amount.
The directions on the bottle also recommend to use it underneath your moisturizer, but I found this to be too difficult. For some reason my moisturizer didn’t go on too well after I’d applied the BHA, even if I’d wait ten minutes after I applied the BHA, and …I don’t know, I just didn’t like it. So after I cleanse my face, I moisturize, then wait about half an hour before I apply the BHA. I wait for half an hour so my moisturizer has properly settled into my skin. Any earlier and it seems to make a bit of a strange mix of moisturizer and BHA on my skin.
I apply the BHA only once a day – at night.
This product is not for everyone
This product seems to be mainly for those with congested skin, blackheads and whiteheads. I started using it because that described my skin condition perfectly. If you’re a regular reader of my blog then you’ll know that I damaged my skin from using too many products on it, and I ended up with very congested clogged up pores and comedonal acne. This in turn gave me persistent mild acne, as my skin tried sooooo hard to purge the clogged pores, blackheads and whiteheads on its own. At its worst, I had a scattering of hard little whiteheads across both cheeks. It was very frightening.
I tried for months to make my skin healthy and to get rid of my comedonal acne using natural products. I did manage to help move it along a little, but it was so clogged up and so persistent that nothing seemed to work well enough. It was so frustrating and annoying. I couldn’t even use face masks because pulling all of those toxins out at once caused bigger breakouts than normal!
So, I did some research and I decided to try this BHA. In fact it was the first time I’ve ever used a Salicylic Acid product.
The results in the beginning were amazing. The first morning I woke up with much softer and less inflamed skin. Over the next three days I was so excited and felt as though I’d found THE miracle product. Unfortunately it then got a little worse. As my pores started to purge, areas of my face, including around my eyes and nose, started to get really sand-papery. It totally freaked me out. I also developed several very small inflammations on my chin. These were teeny tiny pimples. They had a small head but that was about it, they weren’t even red but there were a lot of them.
Over the next couple of days the sand-papery feeling went away and I could feel some of the bigger blackheads becoming dislodged, but my chin broke out more and more. I remember one night counting twelve little inflamed heads on my chin. TWELVE! That’s a lot. It was torture trying not to squeeze them out, and so many came and went that my chin started to look like it has a rash all over it. I realized that I must have had a LOT of congestion on my chin.
I freaked out so much that I took a break from using the BHA. It was doing good things to my skin but I didn’t like the idea of every pore on my chin turning into a tiny pimple. I’d even developed a couple of much larger pimples on my chin that hurt and I knew were going to take a few days to go away.
After a week of not using the BHA at all, my chin completely healed so I decided to start using the BHA once again. I’ve now been using it every night over the last couple of weeks on my entire face EXCEPT for my chin, and with great success. I have had a few pimples from sebum plugs that are trying to make their way out but have got a little stuck on the way, but overall my comedonal acne is clearing up beautifully, and my skin is softer than it has been in months. I’ve also noticed a big difference in the general health of my skin.
I could rave about this product, I really could. I know it’s not natural and that kind of sucks, but it’s amazing how such a teeny tiny amount can make such a huge difference to my skin. I’m not sure how well it would work on moderate-severe acne, or how well it would work on clearing up inflamed pimples. It seems to work best at purging clogged pores and clearing up stubborn comedonal acne. So if you suffer from acne rosacea, this product probably won’t do a lot for you.
It’s important not to become dependant on a product
The danger with Salicylic Acid products is becoming dependant on them. I know my pores got all clogged up from using the wrong products and using too much at once, so as soon as my skin heals and gets all healthy again, I’ll wean myself off this BHA until I’m not using it anymore. In fact, I’ve already started using it every second day only.
If you find that your pores are all clogged up for no apparent reason, then you WILL need to figure out how and why your skin got that way in the first place in order for it to heal properly, otherwise you may be stuck with using the BHA forever. Because as soon as you stop using it, your pores my just clog up all over again.
You don’t want to rely on using a product forever either, because you’ll totally freak out if they stop making it or you can’t get your hands on it anymore for whatever reason. And you don’t want to have to rely on using chemicals in your skin care routine forever, because after all – Salicylic Acid is an acid.
Often we can get clogged pores and comedonal acne from oily skin, or hormonal imbalance. So make sure you’re using an oil-free moisturizer and cleanser if you suffer from oily skin. Also make sure you’re working on balancing your hormones if you think your clogged pores are caused by hormonal imbalance.
If you’ve got any questions about this product, or about BHAs and Salicylic Acid, please write a question in the box below or in the forum. If you’ve tried this product and have had a different experience to me, I’d also love to hear from you because it’s good to hear opinions and reviews from others.
Fran
58 responses ↓
Hmm, seems like this product could help alleviate the persistent acne I have just recently had after using the egg white mask over two weeks ago.
Well, if the detox and finally getting a good skin care routine doesn’t alleviate the current problem then I will definitely check this product out to at least knock my skin back to the level it was before, which was quite good.
And what took you so long to make a entry about this? I must of seen you talk about this a ton here.
i might use this if its good with getting out blackheads (=
ive been trying to get some out on my nose and chins for weeks with biore uncloging strips and they have seem to be working well its just always a few that stay
so thats why i might try this
Mr E- I wanted to hold off just in case it made my skin worse or stopped working. I shouldn’t have mentioned it really before I posted but I couldn’t help myself! Because I was so excited about it and I guess the reviews on makeupalley were good enough
Vanessa- How have the pore srips been working? I’ve never tried them personally but I have heard they have the problem of leaving a hole which just gets filled up with oil again. Have you noticed this?
Hi Fran, my skin is usually a combination of some whiteheads/blackheads and some blind pimples (bigger inflamed pimples) would this be still suitable for when I have whiteheads or would it irritate the bigger inflamed pimples?
Thanks!
Hi Kat, you could give it a go. I haven’t put it on any inflamed pimples but I did put it over a cyst and a blind pimple and it didn’t make them any worse. I’m not sure if they healed any faster but I did notice the top layers of skin peels off on them.
If you do use it, just remember to start with a small amount
Glad this is working for you, Fran! I just sent you an email about a product I’ve been using with 2% White Willow Bark (a natural source of salicylic acid!) that has been working very well for me
I’ve got some good news for you – Salicylic Acid IS a natural product. It’s found in many plants, one of which is Willow Bark. I’m not sure if the BHA found in Paula’s Choice is synthetic or naturally derived, but I know there are BHAs which are naturally derived on the market.
As for becoming dependent on a product, I used to think as you do. However, if something was wrong with another part of my body system or another organ (skin being the largest organ of our body), I would not hesitate to try to help it in any way possible. For example, if I was diabetic, would I tell myself not to become dependent on insulin? No, instead I would say that the insulin is needed to correct something that does not function normally. Similarly, my skin does not function normally and needs something to correct it. While for some the answer may lie in dietary and lifestyle changes, I know that this is not the case for me. Nothing in my life had changed when the acne attacked, it is simply a matter of my skin no longer performing as it should.
Hi Fran,
In part of this post you mentioned that if you think your acne is due to a hormonal imbalance, you should focus on balancing them. My question is, what are some ways other than going on the pill that will help balance my hormones? I have gone on the pill before but feel that the pill is just not for me. I am having a hard time sticking to my convictions about it though, when I know it cleared my skin so well.
A & Janie- That is SO awesome. I’m going to try that product you recommended to me in email A.
Dana- yep, supplements can be really good for balancing hormones. I’ve had great success with fish oil, evening primrose oil and vitex agnus-castus.
Seems like a good try. By the way Fran how did the shiseido sunblock work out?
Hi Zack, yeah it’s probably the best sunblock I’ve used yet and it didn’t break me out. It did however STILL leave my skin slightly greasy so I was paranoid and I don’t like the feel of it on my skin.
I was reading a magazine the other day (I’ve been doing that a lot while I’ve been sick!) and I came across this advertisement for a powder sunblock, SPF 30+. It sounds fantastic …works as well as a lotion (apparently), but without the greasy residue. It sounds like it goes on like a translucent mineral makeup, but it’s okay for boys or girls. I’m going to do more research on it and maybe even try it out. My biggest worry is that it won’t protect the skin as much as a lotion does.
Hi Fran,
I use this product every couple of days and have just switched from the Neutrogena Clay Mask cleanser to Philosophy’s cleanser as well as Differin 0.1%
I don’t know how well it works, but right now my acne is better than it’s been in a while, touch wood.
hey fran (=
the pore unclogging strips are actually pretty good, just a few at a time come out so its a process. its really best when you do it after a hot shower since your pores are already open.
hmm, i havent noticed them clogging back up but it is defianetly possible, i’ll try to check more often (=
for the most part they work okay =]
Hi,
I have recently stopped treating my cyclical acne with differin and clindoxyl gel. With my diet changes and supplement use my skin is doing alright so far this cycle. I do have what I guess are white heads and have been using baking soda to exfoliate. I have also recently purchased this item, but am scared to use it. I am wondering if now is the right time to try this product?
paperwings, don’t be scared to use it
Just start slowly and you’ll be fine
My problem area is also my chin. Should I avoid using it on this area? I am terrified to make anything worse.
Thank you so much for your help.
Oh no, don’t let that hold you back. I actually had a clear chin when I started using it. It just pulled all the gunk out of my pores which is why I got some tiny spots. You could try dabbing diluted tea tree oil or another antibacterial over your chin after you apply the BHA to prevent the gunk from turning into a pimple.
And by the way, I use it on my chin now and it’s fine
Fran,
I love all the information you care to share. I have dryer skin with whiteheads; I tend to only get these whiteheads under my cheekbones and towards my ears. I’m pretty sure the ones I get toward my ears/jaw are because I have a jaw clicking problem that stresses me out a ton. I’m super afraid to use a lot of things because of flaking skin and I prefer something natural. I’m going to try the baking soda idea, is there a natural salicylic product that you know of that might be worth a try? Thanks again for sharing.
Bre- You could look for a natural glycolic acid product which is the natural version of salicylic acid. They don’t work as well, but worth a try and totally worth not putting the chemicals on your skin.
Hi Fran,
I recently bought this product and it’s helping my comedonal acne quite a bit. However, I guess it made my skin purge as well because I have a whole bunch of whiteheads now. I’m freaking out but I really don’t want to quit using the product just yet. Its only been my second day using it and I’ve only used it at night. Do you think I should stop altogether or just stop until my whiteheads clear up? Help! I’m trying so hard not to be discouraged.
Genesis- just use it how I used Paula’s Choice when the same thing happened to me.
It seems like a good product but the purging process kind of scares me a little bit… I had this REALLY bad experience with Murad Acne Complex when it made me purge and my skin looked so bad! It took me half a year to get my skin to calm down again. Maybe i’ll give it a try when i get enough confidence again. Just not sure i want to go through that awful purging process again..
Hi fran, im interested in gettin this product but im just not quite sure which one to get.. the liquid, gel or lotion? whats the difference? Also how do i apply this with bee yummy moisturizer? Should i even use the moisturizer with this? thanks alot!
If you look up the reviews on MUA – http://www.makeupalley.com – there’s personal reviews on each of the types of BHAs from Paula’s Choice, so you can make a decision fromt hat.
[...] There are a few different types of deep pore exfoliants, both chemical and natural. My favorite is salicylic acid because I know it works so well. You can read an article I wrote about Paula’s Choice BHA here. [...]
hi fran i know u said in this article that u applied moisturizer first then the BHA gel. I was just wondering if you have changed that routine by using the BHA first before you apply the bee yummy moisturizer bcs its antibacterial? thanks alot!!!
HI Orawan, I’ve only needed to use the BHA a couple of times since using Bee Yummy. But when I do use both, I’ll still use the moisturizer first then wait 30 mins or so before using the BHA.
hi fran! first i just want to thank you for all of the great info on skin care and natural products.
and i wanted to ask you for a recomendation for a natural or non-natural (doesnt matter) light non-greasy sun block. my skin is ance-prone and oily
do you have any ideas?
Hi Fran, why does this BHA cause alot of whiteheads? Will they eventually go away?
Sal, this is a purging process as toxins are pulled out of the skin and doesn’t happen to everyone.
kale- Shiseido has the best non pore clogging sunblocks. It’s very expensive but will last a while if just using on your face. Go to the shiseido counter in a department store and have a chat to them about what you need. I’m sure I’ve written an article about this somewhere!
My skin is horrendously dry. I treat my acne with BP, the only thing that works. I have had acne for over 15 years, and am in my 30’s. Stress is the key factor when I break out, as is poor diet. The Bee Yummy seems to leave my skin very dull looking, and not moisturized enough. I need a deep pore cleanser as I have many whiteheads, but not a cleanser that will dry me out, as the flakes literally peel from my face at times. Any suggestions?
Gary, BP is a VERY drying product so it’s likely you’ll need to use an oil to combat the dryness. I slathered on jojobar oil when I was using BP but it still wasn’t enough to hydrate my skin.
Anything “deep pore” will be in some way drying to your skin. To get into the pores there needs to be some chemical ingredient like salicylic acid. Glycolic acid is the sometimes natural alternative but it will still be drying to the skin.
It’s so frustrating, I really don’t know what to do.
what happens when you apply this on top of a pimple? will the pimple just get more red and inflamed? will my skin start peeling and get all itchy and dry? i really want to detox my skin but im scared of how it will look during the process.
Hi Lisa, my spots never got more red or inflamed with the BHA. The worst i did was purge small pimples on my chin which was a little scary but only lasted a week.
I still use the BHA now when I have a pimple. I dab a bit of it on at night. When I wake up in the morning it’s always a little better, less red, and less inflamed.
I’m definitely going to try this product, everything you described seems just like me. Thanks for the advice! Speaking of advice though, “weather” should be “whether.” (First paragraph under the pink box!)
[...] have written a review on Paul’s Choice BHA that is worth reading if you haven’t already. I explain in detail why you don’t want to rely on [...]
Hi Fran,
I’ve been using PC’s 2% liquid for the last two months and the whiteheads on my forehead and temples are definitely going away, but now I have whiteheads all over my cheeks which were never a problem area. What should I do? Do you think I should stick with it or its not working for me and I should look elsewhere? Thanks!
Hi Fran,
Did you find this product cleared up your comedonal acne compleatly? I have very stubborn comedonal acne, lots of little bumps all over my cheeks, do you think this product would work well on getting rid of them? I havnt used anything on them yet as I worry about using very harsh products on my skin as its quite sensitive.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Emily, yes it was the ONLY thing that cleared it up. I tried everything natural but unfortunately this for me was the only thing that worked.
Dear Fran, thanks for the response, I think i will give it a go then, did it take long for it to clear up compleatly? I have had this type of acne for about a year now, no idea what triggered it, but I always worry about things making the acne worse. I will let you know how this goes!
Also just to say, I think this website is great, lots of useful information and its a brilliant support system for people with skin problems, its good to know there are people out there to talk to who understand, so thanks!!
Are there any good salicylic acid products that you can recommend that’s readily available in stores?
I’m in Australia for a few months and I usually use a specific Neutrogena product that doesn’t seem to be available here. And I can’t seem to find a BHA product with perfect pH without irritating ingredients. It’s starting to frustrate me.
Rachel- I buy Paula’s Choice online within Australia, I haven’t personally tried any other SA product.
Hi fran,
is there a body wash like this i can use for my back? thanks so much
great site
Laura, check out my articles on back acne, I’ve written a couple. You can find them in here – http://www.highonhealth.org/acne/
Have been using paula choice 2% everyday, 2 times a day. my face kind of soft, but it look abit dry and flaky , up to now its almost amonth, but i still have purging, but its getting less. initally was big pimple about five then now alot of white bumpy pimple start to come out. my blackhead never really clear away, i dont know why. I have start reduce BHA to once a day and replace the night mosturiser with bee yummy. i plan to reduce it to 3 times a days after a week.
I feel tht somehow BHA push all the toxic out from below, but it will get imflamed big pimple if you do not treat the top layer. BP is too harsh
I will give this product a try. My skin is over flowing with whiteheads and it’s about time I do something about it. Thanks for the tip.
Hi Fran,
Thanks for sharing your useful information on dealing with acne. I have drier skin, and my only real problem is some whiteheads around my lower cheeks. I was wondering if the 2% Paula’s choice gel is suitable to use along with a 2.5% benzoyl peroxide product or if I should not use them in combinaition. I dont want to dry my skin out. Thanks.
Hi Logan, I’ve never personally used them together but you could give it a go and see how your skin reacts. They both do different things so you may find that they work okay together.
Just watch for any signs of dryness or irritation, because both products can be quite drying to the skin ..and dry flaky skin can lead to more acne.
Hi Fran, just wondering if this product works on oily skin especially on the t-zone area and i also have some whiteheads on my nose. Thx
Hi Fran,
This is the first time i’ve seen this blog, but I’m really interested in this product. I’m 17 now and my acne is actually terrible. I have pretty big ones and that are generally under the skin and i also have blackheds, whiteheads, and pimples. I also have VERY greasy skin. Especially in this summer heat. Everything is on my face, I have almost no backne. I was going to try accutane, but is there anything you could suggest?
Hi Fran,
I’d used this product when i was struggling with persistent moderate acne and it definitely worsened it.
However, post-accutane ive been told my skin will respond better to regular treatments, is it wise to try this so early after accutane – one month?
In addition, my skin has become very oily since using accutane only one month after, bringing some very very mild clogged pores and sebum plugs. Still, this gets to me and worries me a great deal.
Hi Fran I have a question, I hope u can answer me
Today I bought the PC’2% but I don’t really know how to use it and I’m a bit scared to use it in the wrong way DO U LIVE THE PC’2% ON UR SKIN ALL NIGHT LONG (as a exfoliator-moisturizer) or u exfoliate ur sking with it and RINCE IT with water right away (as a normal exfoliator) the girl that sold it to me says I should live it on my skin all night long (as if it were a moisturizer) but I think it’s maybe TOO HARSH? or am I just being paranoiac? TANKS, I’LL BE WAITING FOR UR ANSWER before I even open it
P.S. U ARE THE BEST, I LOVE U =D
Hi Israel, yep, I leave it on all night long. And no, it’s not too harsh on my skin types. My skin is dry but it’s fine on my skin
good luck!
WOOOOOOOOW THIS PRODUCT IS A MIRACLE =O =’) I never ever ever ever thought a product will clear my skin THIS FAST (I had no hope LOL =S) TANKS FRAN OMG I finally found a product that works =’) AND IT’S BEEN 2 DAYS =O
AS ALWAYS TANK YOU, 1 month ago I was hopeless =S LOL TODAY tanks to your “Eat away your acne” book and the products you recommend I have a 100% clear and glowing skin
AGAIN TANKS XXXX =’)
Hey Fran, I was wondering – I bought the 1% of this, do you think that because it’s slightly gentler I could put it on morning and night, or should I stick with putting it on at night? I have very sensitive, slightly dry skin that’s chocked with clogged pores, pimples and blackheads, mostly derived from an ill-fated attempt at the OCM. Thoughts?
Hi Christina, do whatever feels right for you, definitely. If I were you I’d start with just once a day, or even every other day …then gradually up it if you think your skin can handle it.
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