Paula’s Choice has long been known for its amazing skin perfecting exfoliants, But there’s a new lilac-coloured exfoliant making waves in the skin care collective that is the brand’s strongest exfoliant yet! The Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA+ 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel promises glowing skin with no irritation – the unicorn of all peels, if you will.
The gentleness of this peel means that even those of you with sensitive skin that normally wouldn’t dare apply an acid peel can try it without turning your skin into an angry red mess. Paula’s Choice launched this peel in the summer of 2020 as a limited edition item, but after receiving an overwhelming response to how well it worked, the brand has decided to relaunch the peel this year as a permanent edition to its skin care lineup.
So what does this wonder peel do? What’s in it? Why should I try it? How do I use it? All your questions will be answered once you prop your feet up and read through this post…
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What Does The Paula’s Choice AHA +BHA Peel Do?
This Paula’s Choice peel uses a combination of alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acid (BHA) to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, sun damage and bumpy, textured skin. It also unclogs pores to reduce blackheads, blemishes and enlarged pores and promises to give skin a fresh, radiant glow.
The combination of both AHAs and BHAs means that skin gets exfoliated both at the surface level (by the AHAs) and within the deeper levels of the skin (by the BHA) to give you your best complexion ever. To reduce the potential for irritation, the peel also includes soothing botanical ingredients like allantoin, chamomile, licorice, butterfly pea flower extract.
Did you know? At-home facial peels are a great way to speed up the benefits of exfoliation, like the fading of dark spots, or to give skin some extra glow before a special event.
At-home peels can be used by all skin types as long as they are used as directed and not over-used. Paula’s Choice also recommends that people with sensitive skin avoid peels that have a pH below 3.5 (the PC peel has a pH of 3.5-3.9).
Like any skin care treatment, listen to your skin and reduce how often you use a product if excess irritation occurs.
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What’s In The Peel
The Paula’s Choice AHA+BHA Peel is made with a blend of AHAs and BHA as follows: 2% salicylic acid (BHA), 8.4% glycolic acid, 7.1% lactic acid, 5% mandelic acid, 2.5% malic acid and 2% tartaric acid.
While all these acids piled into a little tube may sound scary for unexperienced acid users, the peel also includes plant extracts like bisabolol from chamomile, glycyrrhetinic acid from licorice, butterfly pea flower and allantoin to soothe skin while the acids are doing their thing and making skin gorgeous.
The AHAs work on the surface of the skin to reduce uneven texture and any signs of aging, while the salicylic acid penetrates deep into the pores to unclog any congestion. You’ll also find moisturizing ingredients like butylene glycol, glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to boost skin moisture and the antioxidant power of vitamin E.
RELATED READING: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant: The Pore Declogger
Packaging and Texture
The Paula’s Choice AHA + BHA Peel comes in a gray squeeze tube for easy storage and contains 1 ounce of product. The fragrance-free liquid-gel peel is a gorgeous lilac colour with a runny texture. This peel is also cruelty free.
RELATED READING: Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment Serum
How To Use The Paula’s Choice Peel & After-Care Tips
This peel can be used once per week and is applied onto clean, dry skin in an even layer. Be sure to keep the peel away from the area around the eyes and your lips, which are more delicate. After leaving the gel-like peel on the skin for a 10-15 minutes (no longer!), the peel can be rinsed away with lukewarm water.
After rinsing off the peel, you can apply your hydrating toner, essence, gentle serums and finally your moisturizer.
Acid peels can make skin more sensitive to sun damage, so I like to use this peel in my night time skin care routine. You should also avoid using any leave-on exfoliating toners or exfoliating scrubs right after using this peel to avoid over-exfoliation and irritation.
Depending on how your skin responds to the peel, you may even want to wait an extra day or two before using any of your other exfoliating products – listen to your skin!
Do you like to use vitamin C or retinol in your skin care routine? I suggest skipping these treatments as well after using this peel to reduce the potential for irritation. Also remember to keep the peel away from any open cuts or wounds to avoid stinging and irritation.
If your skin needs some extra post-peel TLC, be sure to apply only fragrance-free skin care products. Sheet masks, serums or moisturizers with calming or healing ingredients like oats, aloe vera, centella asiatica (cica) or rosehip oil are great options to soothe angry skin.
Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least 30SPF when going into daylight – whether you have used the peel or not!
RELATED READING: 3 Ways To Exfoliate Your Skin
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Read more about Rakuten in my detailed post here.
How This Peel Worked For Me
I quite enjoy this peel – it’s effective and super gentle all at once, which is hard to find in a peel with such concentrated acids in it. The first time I used it I was surprised to find I had no stinging or tingling sensations. It has a really nice gel-like texture that’s easy to apply and the pretty lilac colour is an added bonus.
This peel rinses off easily and leaves my skin super soft and smooth instantly! I also find my pores are minimized as well, which always makes me happy. I don’t experience any redness or irritation with it either, just a soft pink flush that fades after using it.
RELATED READING: Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment Serum
How Does The Paula’s Choice Peel Compare To The Ordinary AHA BHA Peel?
If you familiar with my blog, you’ll know that I’ve also tried and loved the very affordable AHA + BHA Peel from The Ordinary. I’m sure anyone familiar with the notoriety of The Ordinary’s peel is wondering, how does this purple peel from Paula’s Choice compare to The Ordinary’s peel and which should you choose?
I love both peels, so the answer to this question depends on how sensitive your skin is and what you’re willing to spend. If you have sensitive skin and really want to try a peel that works without being too harsh or causing any stinging or itchy/tingling sensations, then I would suggest that you save your pennies and invest in the Paula’s Choice 25% AHA + 2% BHA peel; it will give you glowing skin that (probably) won’t end up a red, burning mess.
Are you an experienced acid user that can handle any acid combination thrown at you? Are you on a tight skin care budget? The Ordinary’s AHA BHA Peel would be a good option for you (I have a very detailed review on it here).
My skin quite enjoyed both the Paula’s Choice Peel and The Ordinary Peel, so I use both in my regular skin care routine and love the results.
BUY IT: PAULA’S CHOICE | SEPHORA | AMAZON
Will you be trying the Paula’s Choice 25% AHA + 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel?
