Liquid BHA Comparison: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid vs Paula’s Choice Resist 2% BHA Liquid

When it comes to skincare, I feel like Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA is the DEFINING product in her line and with good reason. It’s such a Holy Grail product and there’s nothing in the market like it, besides the different variations they sell. I’ve tried looking for other effective liquid BHA that contain 2% Salicylic acid, is non-irritating, is non-drying, and antioxidant filled. I tried. It’s basically impossible to find. The closest dupe is CosRX BHA Power Liquid; which I tried and enjoyed but feel like I needed something STRONGER.

With Paula’s Choice, I’ve strayed many many times (it’s so expensive with shipping, customs fee, and the sh*tty CAD exchange rate) but I just can’t find another alternative that does what this liquid BHA does! I just find a liquid BHA penetrates my skin more effectively and I see such immediate results vs a gel like The Ordinary’s Salicylic Acid, or a lotion like Philosophy Clear Days Ahead. I’ve heard great things about the Stridex pads but I’m turned off by some of the ingredients (menthol, fragrance, and surfactants).

So my question is, which Paula’s Choice BHA liquid is better? The OG Skin Perfecting (4oz) or the premium Resist (3oz)?

Claims of Paula’s Choice BHA:

Visibly reduces pore size
Clears & minimizes enlarged pores
Smooths wrinkles, brightens and evens out skin tone
Gentle enough for daily use on all skin types
pH 3.2 to 3.8

Ingredients

Skin Perfecting (pH 3.2 – 3.8): Water (Aqua), Methylpropanediol (hydration), Butylene Glycol (hydration), Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid/exfoliant), Polysorbate 20 (stabilizer), Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract (green tea/skin calming/antioxidant), Sodium Hydroxide (pH balancer), Tetrasodium EDTA (stabilizer).

Resist (pH 3.2 – 3.8): Water (Aqua), Dipropylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy acid exfoliating agent), Pentylene Glycol (hydration), Butylene Glycol (hydration), Polysorbate 20 (texture-enhancing), Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (skin-restorings), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate (skin-soothing), Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (antioxidant), Oleanolic Acid (skin-soothing), Sodium Hyaluronate (hydration/skin replenishing), Allantoin (skin-soothing), Trehalose (hydration/skin replenishing), Panthenol (skin-conditioning agent), Glycerin (hydration/skin replenishing), PEG-60 Almond Glycerides (texture-enhancing), Sodium Metabisulfite (stabilizer), PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer (solvent), Methyl Gluceth-20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane (hydration/texture-enhancing), Glycereth-26 (emollient texture-enhancing), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Carbomer (gel-based texture-enhancing), Disodium EDTA (stabilizer), Caprylyl Glycol (skin-conditioning agent).

Application

Both liquids look and feel exactly the same. I apply by pouring it out on a cotton pad and gently swipe my entire face, even around the eyes because according to the bottle directions, it’s gentle enough. I actually even take it around and behind my ear area too. After all that, you can see all the dead skin, dirt, and grime that your cleanser might have missed.

For my oily acne prone skin, I experience no tingling or any type of sensation – it just feels like any liquid toner. BUT, If you have a compromised skin barrier, like a rash or scratch, then it will sting. The OG Skin Perfecting stings much more than the Resist. Otherwise it feels actually slightly soothing on my oily skin. But, the extra hydrating ingredients in the Resist is more soothing on my skin.

The BHA step in my skincare routine is an absolute staple in my morning ritual. My morning routine looks like: Cleanse > BHA > active/serum > moisturize > sunscreen. I’ve read online that you’re supposed to wait like 20mins for BHA’s to dry and work its magic because it’s very pH dependent. But honestly, I follow up with a serum/active almost immediately after and still reap all the benefits of BHA.

Results

What. Is. Good. BHA!? I don’t want to sound over the top with my results, but I really feel like Paula’s liquid BHA has helped to normalize my skin. When I say “normalize”, I mean it’s no longer so extra oily, not so prone to breakouts, and not so porous. It just looks and feels more BALANCED. My blackheads, sebaceous filaments, pore size, and breakouts have reduced by so much. My skin just feels and acts more consistent – like no more random zits that pop out of nowhere you know? Of course I still breakout now and then (due to hormones) but it’s smaller and manageable.

Regular or Resist?

So what’s better – the original Skin Perfecting or Resist? Honestly, when it comes down to it I get the same end results. Even though Resist is packed with anti-aging peptides, I feel like that’s just a nice bonus. The key difference is that the Resist BHA is less shiny on the skin and dries to basically an invisible finish AND is slightly hydrating. The Skin Perfecting BHA leaves a slightly shiny finish. Which I think is because it contains a high amount of the ingredient Methylpropanediol; a solvent that helps the 2% SA really penetrate into the pores but is known to have a dewy finish. And in my experience, the shine from the Skin Perfecting BHA doesn’t really go away; it requires a mattifying primer and/or setting with powder.

Meanwhile, the Resist has a more elegant formula that contains more soothing and hydrating ingredients without leaving a shiny finish. So if you’re deciding on what to buy, my recommendation is the Resist because it has less issues.

A good idea is to buy sample sizes of both then test them out! Low key, I was always O.K. with the Skin Perfecting BHA and finessed my way around the shiny finish. But then I tried the Resist version and realized how much I love the lightweight and soothing formula.

Skin Perfecting

Pros: