Comparison between Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum vs. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant - Trial Size

Find out which product is better for your skin.

34 Ingredients 9

1
Resorcinol
1
Water
2
Tranexamic Acid
2
Methylpropanediol (Slip Agent/Water-Binding Agent)
3
Glycolic Acid
3
Butylene Glycol (Water-Binding Agent/Humectant/Slip Agent)
4
Water
4
Salicylic Acid (Beta Hydroxy Acid
5
Alcohol Denatured
5
Exfoliant)
6
Glycolic Acid
6
Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (Anti-Irritant)
7
Butylene Glycol
7
Polysorbate 20 (Emulsifier)
8
Glycerin
8
Sodium Hydroxide (Ph Adjuster)
-- Show others --
Uniqueness33 out of 34
97.1%
Uniqueness8 out of 9
88.9%

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
10 out of 34
29%
chemical
19 out of 34
56%
natural
1 out of 9
11%
chemical
0 out of 9
0%

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: 4Negative: 1
Butylene Glycol#7Glycerin#8Betaine#19Allantoin#22Alcohol Denatured#5
Oily skin
Positive: 3Negative: 0
Glycolic Acid#3Glycolic Acid#6Allantoin#22
Sensitive skin
Positive: 1Negative: 4
Allantoin#22Glycolic Acid#3Glycolic Acid#6Limonene#31Linalool#33
Dry skin
Positive: 0Negative: 0
Oily skin
Positive: 0Negative: 0
Sensitive skin
Positive: 0Negative: 0

Detailed view

Murad Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum vs. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant - Trial Size
Position 1

#1Resorcinol

Origin: chemical
Role: Antiacne agent, Fragrance ingredient, Hair colorant, Masking
Antiseptic
EWG Rating [ 7 ]
CIR Rating [ A ]
-- versus --

#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

#2Tranexamic Acid

Origin: No information
Role: Skin conditioning agent, Astringent
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
-- versus --

#2Methylpropanediol (Slip Agent/Water-Binding Agent)

Origin: No information
Role: No information
Position 3

#3Glycolic Acid

Origin: natural
Role: Buffering agent, Exfoliant
Cleansing
Exfoliating
Anti-aging
Lightening
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
CIR Rating [ B ]
Good for oily skin
Good for oily skin

Glycolic Acid is the most researched AHA with proven efficiency and it’s a super powerful component. It’s a great exfoliator, meaning it helps to remove dead skin cells preventing bacterial growth, and make your skin look fresh and smooth. It helps to remove dark spots and areas, making skin tone even. But the most serious reason for using this component is that it helps to produce collagen, which is very important for keeping your skin healthy. This is what makes Glycolic Acid so special. Pay attention, that using any AHA makes your skin more UV sensitive. It’s very important to use good sunscreen after applying AHA.

It's an exfoliator, meaning it increases UV sensitivity of your skin. That's why it's very important to use sunscreen after it.
-- versus --

#3Butylene Glycol (Water-Binding Agent/Humectant/Slip Agent)

Origin: No information
Role: No information
Position 4

#4Water

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.

-- versus --

#4Salicylic Acid (Beta Hydroxy Acid

Origin: No information
Role: No information
Position 5

#5Alcohol Denatured

Origin: chemical
Role: Antifoaming agent, Antimicrobial agent, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity controlling agent
Antiseptic
Alcohols
EWG Rating [ 1 ]
Bad for dry skin
Bad for dry skin

Alcohol Denatured is a great bacteria killer. Manufacturers often put it inside products to increase their shelf life.

It’s one of the most harmful alcohols used in skincare. You should use it carefully, especially if you have dry skin. It removes oily barrier from the surface of your skin making it less protected and causing dryness. We advise you to pay attention to the position of this component in a formulation. If it stays below the 6th position it will hardly harm your skin. We also recommend testing the product first before application. If you feel a “cooling effect” it means the product contains a lot of alcohol and it's better to be careful with it.

-- versus --

#5Exfoliant)

Origin: No information
Role: No information
Skin Signal
2023 - 2024

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