AHA vs BHA's Chemical Exfoliants.

Nov 2, 2014

Kitty K.

I wanted to make a post discussing my experience with both AHA's and BHA's which will hopefully benefit someone else.
I used both of them separately, and then together to see what was the best.

Skin Details
Normal to Dry
Sensitive
Prone to Acne and Comedogenic Break-outs


BHAs

Since I still had a bit of acne on my cheeks I went forth with using a BHA.

I used Paula's Choice 2% Liqiud BHA - which claims to

'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.
Acne Breakouts, Anti-Aging, Blackheads, Enlarged Pores, Keratosis Pilaris, Redness, Rosacea, Wrinkles
For All Skin Types
Creates radiant, even-toned skin
Reduces redness & builds collagen
Unclogs & diminishes enlarged pores'

1. Pore reduction
I do not have, nor does my family suffer from enlarged pores. They looked a tiny bit tighter, but that was about it.

2. Exfoliate
love the way BHA left my skin feeling... soft... clear of any dry flakes. It definitely does a lot more than a physical scrub and leaves a flawless base for make up.

3. Acne break outs
It did address my acne break outs and redness beautifully. Improvement was definitely seen within days.

4. Wrinkles
I did not see any improvement using a BHA. ( Note: I have just recently turned 19. Not too much going on yet wrinkle wise. )


Overall...
I loved my BHA. I did get some sensitivity to it but that was because I was a bit reckless. ( Lack of sunscreen and not following directions by doing it twice a day instead of slowly building it up by using it every other day or once a day etc. )
There is a spot right underneath my lip and above my chin that cannot withstand any kind of product ( Will have to mention it to my derm. ) so I am curious if it's any kind of skin issue since sensitivity has always been an issue since I was little.




AHA's

I wanted to get rid of my spots since I had gotten rid of my acne. Since AHAs are promised to be better for dry and sensitive skin types I figured I would give it a try. BHAs are supposed to be suited for Oily skin which I will discuss for a minute.

I used Paula's choice 5% AHA lotion and the 7% Weekly resurfacing treatment which promised to give me...
Younger looking skin with more radiance (Even skin tone )
Exfoliate the skin while delivering a potent blend of restorative ingredients
Essential antioxidants to stimulate healthy collagen production
Renewing texture, color, and tone
Reduction of fine lines and wrinkles
Reduction of sun damage


1. Skin tone
Skin looked a bit more radiant.. however the lotion had a 'tint' to it which I'm not sure how much that contributed to it.

2. Exfoliation
My skin was exfoliated just like a BHA did. But differently, it felt a bit softer.

3. Brown spots
There was a much more significant improvement in my brown spots, especially when I used the resurfacing treatment.

4. Wrinkles
This addressed fine lines I had around my mouth area that I never paid attention to. I always filled them with a silicone primer as it always showed when I had on foundation. When I used my RCMA foundation I wasn't able to use a silicone primer or it would slip. So I used a cream instead and realized that my fine lines were not showing. At first I thought it was the foundation, but when I used my Matte foundation my fine lines did not show through.


Overall..
I like AHAs but I'm not the biggest fan. I did get some Milia on my skin so this is not something I would use alone.
It also stung! The resurfacing treatment was not nice feeling. My skin seems to favor BHA's which are advertised as stronger and AHAs more gentle... but my skin was not feeling it. It took me quite a while of figuring out how to put on my AHA resurfacing treatment without having a heart attack. I had to use my DIY green tea toner and some witch hazel before hand and make sure my skin wasnt feeling sensitive that day. I also skipped out on using my Foreo Luna Mini and make up on days that I did my weekly resurfacing treatment.




Both together

Since I used AHA and it did nothing in terms of acne, I purchased the BHA 9 from Paulas Choice (9% Salicylic acid time released which feels more gentle than the 2% liquid exfoliant )
I think I'll be using them together as 5% AHA lotion and the 9% BHA as my skin tolerates it pretty well. Using both together has showed a significant amount of improvement on both spots and acne.
My skin seems to favor this combo overall for some reason so it may be the combo I'll stick to.

Nov 2, 2014

Hannah K.

Thanks so much for sharing, Kitty! This is really great and super informative. I'm contemplating the Paula's Choice line now =)

Nov 2, 2014

Kitty K.

Hmm that's hard to say Harlyn because it depends on what product you were using and any skin issues you have.
Paulas Choice does have samples as well so you can always order them. She always includes a 2 percent BHA liqiud sample choice with any product purchase of $5.00. You're allowed up to 5 samples so I always get 5 of whatever product I want to try instead of 5 different ones that I don't end up using.

Nov 2, 2014

Kitty K.

Hannah I know you're prone to black heads so you'd probably enjoy it!

Nov 2, 2014

Ame S.

Omg I noticed Milia on my face post AHA lotion too! I thought I was the only one. I used a 12 percent AHA though, maybe I need to lower the dosage. Thank you Kitty. :)