Comparison between Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser vs. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant

Find out which product is better for your skin.

36 Ingredients 25

1
Water
1
Water
2
Decyl Glucoside
2
Butylene Glycol
3
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
3
Polysorbate-20
4
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
4
Cetyl Alcohol
5
Butylene Glycol
5
Salicylic Acid
6
Glycolic Acid
6
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/​vp Copolymer⁠
7
Glycerin
7
Cyclopentasiloxane
8
Mandelic Acid
8
Sorbitan Stearate
-- Show others --
Uniqueness29 out of 36
80.6%
Uniqueness18 out of 25
72.0%

Positive Effects

Find out what good effects the product has

ECO Metrics

Find out how eco-friendly the components are
Vegan
No
No
Cruelty free
No
Yes
Reef friendly
Yes
Yes
Ozone layer safe
Yes
Yes
Organic score
natural
12 out of 36
33%
chemical
20 out of 36
56%
natural
10 out of 25
40%
chemical
14 out of 25
56%

Concerns

Pay attention to these components
-- Extra information --

Components by Skin Type

Find out what components are good or bad for your skin type
Dry skin
Positive: 5Negative: 0
Butylene Glycol#5Glycerin#71,2-Hexanediol#9Sodium Hyaluronate#22Allantoin#31
Oily skin
Positive: 3Negative: 0
Glycolic Acid#6Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract#18Allantoin#31
Sensitive skin
Positive: 1Negative: 1
Allantoin#31Glycolic Acid#6
Dry skin
Positive: 3Negative: 0
Butylene Glycol#2Allantoin#11Glycerin#12
Oily skin
Positive: 3Negative: 1
Salicylic Acid#5Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract#9Allantoin#11Lauric Acid#10
Sensitive skin
Positive: 1Negative: 1
Allantoin#11Salicylic Acid#5

Detailed view

Hero Cosmetics Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser vs. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant
Position 1
Both products have the same component on this position.

#1Water

Origin: natural
Role: Solvent
EWG Rating [ 1 ]

Water is a great solvent. It’s neutral and doesn’t provide any strong positive or negative effects. It just helps components to mix better and to transport active components.

Position 2

#2Decyl Glucoside

Origin: chemical
Role: Cleansing agent, Emulsion stabilizer, Surfactant
Cleansing
EWG Rating [ 2 ]
CIR Rating [ B ]

Decyl glucoside is a surfactant. It provides degreasing and wetting effects. It removes dirt and sebum gently. It doesn’t irritate the skin but at the same time, it’s an effective cleanser. It’s considered to be the safest among all the other surfactants.

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#2Butylene Glycol

Origin: chemical
Role: Skin conditioning agent, Fragrance ingredient, Humectant, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity controlling agent
Moisturizing
Softening
Hair protection
Comedogenic rating [ 1 ]
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ A ]
Good for dry skin
Good for dry skin

Butylene Glycol is a very popular synthetic alcohol. It helps the product to absorb deeper and faster. It is also a solvent for other ingredients. As for the skin benefits, it helps to attract water and helps to make the skin softer.

Unlike many other “Glycols”, it is not harmful and that's why it is used in many products. It was approved by US FDA and US EPA for usage.

Position 3

#3Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Origin: natural
Role: Skin conditioning agent, Antistatic agent, Cleansing agent, Foam booster, Hair conditioning, Surfactant, Viscosity controlling agent
Cleansing
Hair conditioning
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ B ]

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a pH 4.5-5.5 liquid that is used to improve the overall efficiency of the formulation. It’s usually combined with different surfactants and is used because of its cleansing efficiency. It helps to remove sebum and dirt from the skin and hair. It also works as a foaming agent helping to make a pleasant foam.

-- versus --

#3Polysorbate-20

Origin: chemical
Role: Emulsifying agent, Fragrance ingredient, Surfactant
Nutrifying
Malassezia unsafe
EWG Rating [ 3 ]
CIR Rating [ B ]

Polysorbate 20 doesn’t have any notable skin benefits but is used in cosmetics quite often. Manufacturers use it for formulation purposes. It improves the scent, texture, and feel of the product.

Position 4

#4Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Origin: chemical
Role: Bulking agent, Viscosity controlling agent
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
-- versus --

#4Cetyl Alcohol

Origin: natural
Role: Emollient, Emulsifying agent, Emulsion stabilizer, Foam booster, Fragrance ingredient, Masking, Surfactant, Viscosity controlling agent
Softening
Comedogenic rating [ 2 ]
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ A ]

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. It’s responsible for making your skin soft and improving product thickness. It makes the product easier to apply and feel richer. Though it contains the word “Alcohol” in its title, the component doesn’t belong to harmful alcohols. That’s why a product with this component can still be marked as Alcohol-free. Usually, manufacturers receive this component from coconut or palm oil.

Position 5

#5Butylene Glycol

Origin: chemical
Role: Skin conditioning agent, Fragrance ingredient, Humectant, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity controlling agent
Moisturizing
Softening
Hair protection
Comedogenic rating [ 1 ]
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ A ]
Good for dry skin
Good for dry skin

Butylene Glycol is a very popular synthetic alcohol. It helps the product to absorb deeper and faster. It is also a solvent for other ingredients. As for the skin benefits, it helps to attract water and helps to make the skin softer.

Unlike many other “Glycols”, it is not harmful and that's why it is used in many products. It was approved by US FDA and US EPA for usage.

-- versus --

#5Salicylic Acid

Origin: chemical
Role: Skin conditioning agent, Antiacne agent, Antidandruff agent, Exfoliant, Fragrance ingredient, Hair conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative
Cleansing
Acne fighting
Soothing
Antiseptic
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ B ]
Good for oily skin
Good for oily skin

Salicylic Acid is an amazing component for oily skin. It’s a famous BHA that chemically exfoliates dead cells, kills bacteria, and prevents acne. It works as a strong pores cleanser. AHAs are not effective for removing sebum from pores, while BHAs are leaders in this space. Salicylic Acid also helps to shrink pores, remove acne scars and make skin tone even. Pay attention: concentration matters! This ingredient is rather aggressive. It can lead to irritation in high concentrations. If your skin has never seen this component before test the product first.

Skin Signal
2023 - 2024

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Disclaimer: All the information on the website is not a medical advice. Visit a doctor if you have problems.

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