Review: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (AKA Miracle Juice) + get it for under $10 | Hello Pretty Bird! - A beauty and not-so-glamorous lifestyle blog

21 July, 2014

Review: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid (AKA Miracle Juice) + get it for under $10

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I feel like there are some products that become so engrained in my regular routine that I almost kind of forget about them—hidden in plain sight? That doesn't make them any less awesome though. Anyway, the awesome product I'm talking about today is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid, which I've been using regularly for the past three months. About time I wrote a review, huh? I'd say "yes" because (a) it's amazing and (b) there's an awesome (yes, I keep using that word) sale going on right now that'll allow you to pick up this gem for under $10 shipped. Awesome!


Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid

Keep on reading for all the awesome details ....


Product description:
Shrink enlarged pores with this 2% liquid salicylic acid leave-on exfoliant that removes old skin cells both on the skin's surface and inside the pore.

OK, so that's not very descriptive. In the simplest terms, this is a BHA (salicylic acid) treatment that chemically exfoliates the skin. This can have a variety of benefits, including but not limited to: Reduction of acne and blackheads, reduction of keratosis pilaris, promoting a more even/smoother skintone, collagen production, etc.

Full ingredients:
Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol (slip agents/penetration enhancers), Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid/exfoliant), Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (anti-irritant/antioxidant), Polysorbate-20 (solubolizing agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH balancer), Tetrasodium EDTA (chelating agent).

This product has a pH range of 3.2-3.8, which is good, because that's low enough to actually exfoliate.

Here's what the dispenser looks like:

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid dispenser opening

Yep, it's just a hole. Not my favorite aspect of the product, but it does the trick so I guess I can't complain too much. It probably won't surprise you to learn that this product does have a liquid-like texture—sort of like water but slightly thicker and stickier. It's free of added fragrancethe scent is vaguely chemical, but nothing too harsh or overwhelming.

One of the reasons I prefer this liquid to gels or lotions is because I feel like it's able to penetrate deeper into my skin. No, I can't feel the penetration (har har) but I've seen faster, more dramatic results than I have with any gel type product I've used before. What are those results, you may wonder? A drastic reduction in acne almost right away and a gradual (but faster than normal) healing of red marks left by acne. This is why I call it Miracle Juice. I realize that it's just due to the product being well formulated (SCIENCE!) and agreeing with my skin type, but Miracle Juice sounds more amusing.

How I use it: The instructions say you can use this up to twice per day, but I find it a
bit drying so I only use it once per day. If you have extremely dry skin you may even want to do it every other day. Originally I was using this in the nighttime as the first or second step in my routine (either right after cleansing or right after toner), but since I started using a tretinoin (Retinoid) cream at night I've started using it in the morning and slathering on lots of sunblock after. BHA can increase sun sensitivity so it's a good idea to be vigilant about wearing sunscreen, even if you use it at night.

Right before I started this product I was using Stridex pads (red box), and while it pains my wallet to say it, the Paula's Choice BHA liquid is leaps and bounds better. Stridex does the trick if you're on a really tight budget, but the menthol always kind of bugged me and it sometimes left my skin feeling "tight". Not ideal.

Skincare is a really personal thing so it's hard for me to guarantee this will work for everyone, but since it's a HG item for me and Paula's Choice sells their stuff in sample sizes I think it's absolutely worth trying at least.




What do you think of Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid? If you've tried it, did you have a good experience?
 


Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. For more information, check out my full disclosure policy.

27 comments:

  1. I have always wanted to try this! I just placed an order--thanks so much for the savings.

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  2. No problem! I hope it works as well for you as it has for me. :)

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  3. i have something VERY similar that I showcased in my June Favorites! Wahhh I actually really like Paula's Choice! I have a three step skincare set :D

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  4. Yes! I completely LOVE this stuff. I bought it the last time you posted the awesome sale, and am purchasing more right now haha. This, and the Yes To Carrots Nourishing Night Cream (unrelated, but I started using them both about 3 months ago) I have dubbed Face Magic. My roommate is pretty sick of hearing about both products, hahaa.

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  5. I've been dying to try this. I'm curious about how it compares to Murad's Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel. I like the Murad product, but have a feeling Paula's Choice might be better.

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  6. Yeah, I think in general Paula's Choice makes really good products! Some of them are a better value than others but this one is definitely worth it, even at the full price.

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  7. Haha, poor roommate. I've tried explaining my various exfoliants to my boyfriend but he's just like "Why do you leave so many bottles on the sink?"

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  8. I've never tried the Murad gel, but one of the reasons I like this is because it's liquid and not a gel! I feel like it absorbs better.

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  9. Lyn (Cheap As F*ck)July 22, 2014 at 1:41 PM

    Yes, love this stuff too (as you know)! Thanks for the comparison with the Stridex pads - I keep wondering if I'm being extravagant by not just using those, but I hate menthol too. I read recently that it's only AHAs that increase sun sensitivity and not BHAs (I can dig up the link if you're interested). Not that vigilant sun protection is ever a bad idea!

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  10. If you can find the link, sure! I've read that they can increase photosensitivity, but I have no idea if that's actually accurate. I'd rather err on the side of caution and slather on the sunblock anyway so I don't get crispy.

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  11. Haha, look like I read and even commented on that post! My memory is EXCELLENT.

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  12. Lyn (Cheap As F*ck)July 22, 2014 at 2:05 PM

    I didn't notice! Who can keep track of all this stuff anyway!?

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  13. so glad this worked out for you!

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  14. Thanks, I'm glad too! No more underwhelming BHA products for me, lol.

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  15. BLURGH it sounds so good and I'm so not supposed to be spending money BUT IT'S SUCH A GOOD DEAL hmm

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  16. Story of my life, man. It is a really good deal though. The sample packets are what, 90 cents or something? You can get a whole bottle for the equivalent of 10 samples, but it will last way longer. #SorryForEnabling

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  17. such a good deal! i was just chosen for some sort of new acne product line that is supposed to arrive tomorrow... and I still had to buy this. oops. blogger problems, right? :P

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  18. Hey, you can always do a comparison! ;)

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  19. I've been wanting to purchase this for a while! The deal is too good to be true..and sadly for Canadians it was too good. I wish I lived in america.. I added it to my cart and put down the coupon code and I was kinda shocked there was a brokerage fee.. my total ended up being $22.87.

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  20. This is something I eventually want to try because it's so well-liked but I just started using Alpha Hydrox gel to exfoliate. I didn't have any luck with BHA for breakouts as a teen but maybe it'll help fade my red marks now.

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  21. Argh that sucks! I didn't know they applied a separate brokerage fee for Canadians. I suppose it would be even more without the discount codes though? Yikes.

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  22. Good luck with the Alpha Hydrox gel! It's funny you say that - I used some salicylic acid gel as a teen and it did NOTHING for me. Totally useless. Now that I know about things like pH and how that can actually affect the efficacy of products, I wonder if it wasn't just a shitty product? Because Stridex helped a little bit and this Paula's Choice stuff has been soooo good.

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  23. Same for me- the St. Ives pads evened me out but in the week I've been using the 10% aha, I can see a brightening effect. Plus it's fragrance-free; I didn't like that the St. Ives were fragranced...SkincareAddiction opened up new worlds for me!

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  24. This stuff sounds amazing! My skin is in love with chemical exfoliation lately.

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  25. Me too. Out of curiosity, what are you using? I'm always looking for the latest/greatest thing to try, ha. :)

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  26. I sometimes use those Stridex pads you mentioned (which have been working surprisingly well for me) and I also use this 10% glycolic acid lotion I got at Walgreens (the brand is Alpha Hydrox) that I also really like - plus is was pretty inexpensive.

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  27. I just started using one of the Alpha Hydrox AHA body lotions - too soon to offer conclusive opinions, but I think the brand is pretty good for the price. It's certainly a lot cheaper than Paula's Choice at regular prices!

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