Product Reviews

This is one of Paula’s Choice’s bestsellers, with legions of fans swearing it shrank their pores and cleared up their skin. Personally? It didn’t live up to the hype.
It worked reasonably well on blackheads, but did nothing for closed comedones or those stubborn bumps I get from SPF buildup. It just didn’t decongest my skin in the way I needed. I had to bring in glycolic acid for that — which, yes, dries me out a little, but actually works. This exfoliant, on the other hand, didn’t cause any dryness at all - in fact, it feels almost moisturizing, which is unexpected for a BHA.
The formula is extremely minimal, and that’s by design. You get 2% salicylic acid, which is the maximum allowed concentration for over-the-counter leave-on products in most regions. It’s an oil-soluble beta hydroxy acid that exfoliates inside the pore lining, making it a go-to for blackheads, enlarged pores, and acne-prone skin. To help deliver it, the formula uses a base of methylpropanediol and butylene glycol, both of which give the product its oddly hydrating feel and help dissolve the BHA evenly across the skin. There’s also Camellia oleifera (green tea) extract, which adds some antioxidant and anti-inflammatory support, though it’s likely present in a low amount.
There are no sensitizing alcohols, no fragrance, and no fluff ingredients—this is a textbook example of a "functional" formula. But that simplicity cuts both ways. If salicylic acid alone isn’t enough to address your isn’t enough to address your acne skin concerns, there’s nothing else here to pick up the slack. Just BHA and a base that makes it tolerable for most people.
The Skincare Classifier rating feels very much in line with my experience. It’s not a bad product — it just isn't all that special either. At least, not for my skin.