Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant with Salicylic Acid, Facial Polish for Enlarged Pores, Wrinkles & Fine Lines, Suitable for Blackhead-Prone Skin, Fragrance-Free

My skin type: - Very Dry, easily dehydrated - Oily nose - Prone to stubborn acne and closed comedones - Redness on chin and cheeks (not rosacea) I already use a nightly Tretinoin cream (.04% concentration) to help with my acne and premature signs of aging but decided with my derm that incorporating a BHA would be a good idea to help with my seriously stubborn closed comedones and some irritating textural issues. It was between this and the Cerave SA lotion and I ultimately decided on this due to the higher concentration of salicylic acid. It's moisturizing, and feels sticky for the first 5-10 minutes after application but seems to sinks in to something of a satin finish on me and I can no longer feel it on my skin. You just have to be a little patient. My skin feels well hydrated and plump after it settles and looks really smooth and my pores aren't as obvious. It sits just fine under makeup for me but I'm not a new user to chemical exfoliants so I don't have lots of dead skin pilling up or sloughing off when I use it, my skin is, for the most part, already very smooth outside the acne and CCs. Occasionally I'll apply it further down my neck/decolletage than usual and WOW do I old skin just ball up and peel right away - it's so gross but also satisfying. So those that don't exfoliate often or are new to BHA/AHAs will likely have issues with foundation until their skin adjusts (but it will adjust). My advice in those cases is to either use this at night for the first few weeks or just accept going barefaced for a little while if you can. I'd strongly suggest not applying this product over anything that you feel does not dry down fully, the times I've attempted to use it after serums or heavier products it takes forever to sink in and sometimes never fully does. I save all my serums and essences for after this has absorbed and it's far easier to work with it as a result. My steps go like this most days: ACWell Licorice toner --- PC 2% BHA --- 10% Niacinamide serum --- TO Matryxil serum --- Secret Key Black Snail cream or Syn-ake cream w/ 3 drops Stratia Fortify oil --- Sunscreen. It works fairly quickly IMO, on my neck where I typically don't apply my Tret at night I noticed the peeling and balling of dead skin on day one and on my face where I have a patch of really awful CCs I noticed them getting smaller and smoother by around day 3-4. I'm going on about 8 days now and they're barely visible unless I'm right up in the mirror and feel as if they're almost gone when I touch my fingers to that area. I do have some slight peeling of the skin around my mouth and nose but it's not terrible (likely because I already exfoliate the heck out of my skin with the tret). Some tips and things keep in mind: 1) DO NOT RINSE IT OFF. I don't understand some of the top reviews advising people to do that, it says on the bottle not to rinse and nearly all chemical exfoliators are meant to be left on until the next cleansing specifically so they can do their job. If you rinse it off you're either going to prevent it from properly exfoliating or end up irritating the hell out of your skin. If you have oily skin and feel this might be heavy on you than you can probably just use this on bare skin and then sunscreen if you use in the AM or a lightweight lotion/cream and be done with it, but you need to leave it on your skin. 2) You have got to use sunscreen while you're using this product! Any BHA or AHA exfoliant causes increased sun sensitivity and you have to address that in your routine. You should already use sunscreen daily but it becomes a must when you incorporate a chemical exfoliator or you risk sun damage. 3) Less is more! Don't slop this on your face or soak a cotton pad in it, a little goes a long way and you'll be kicking yourself if you apply way too much and have to wait 20+ minutes for it to sink in. Use a shake or two and add more if needed but go easy. 4) Expect some irritation initially. Chemical exfoliants can be harsh and rough even on sturdy skin and you have to give yourself time to adjust. Over-exfoliation is a possibility but sometimes just introducing a BHA or AHA into your routine can cause some sensitivity. Don't panic and just be gentle to your skin. Use ceramides (like Cerave Skin Renewing cream) or fatty oils to soothe your face if needed and try to stay away from any harsh products or acids like Vitamin C right after applying this to avoid really burning your face.

I do not say this lightly, this exfoliant completely transformed my skin. I have struggled with clogged pores and stubborn blackheads for years. I tried scrubs, masks, pore strips, expensive treatments, and nothing delivered lasting results. Within the first week of using Paula's Choice Face Exfoliant 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Facial Exfoliator for Blackhead, I saw a visible difference. My pores looked clearer. My skin felt smoother. That rough congested texture along my nose and chin started fading fast. What makes this product magical is the texture. It looks like water, feels like nothing, and absorbs instantly. No greasy film. No sticky residue. No heavy fragrance cloud. Just clean, simple, effective skincare. I apply it with my hands after cleansing and let it sink in. There is a slight tingle at first, which reassured me it was getting to work deep inside my pores. And it truly works deep. Salicylic acid is oil soluble, so it penetrates into the pore lining and dissolves the buildup that causes blackheads and congestion. Instead of aggressively scrubbing the surface, this gently clears from within. After two weeks my blackheads were dramatically reduced. After a month they were barely noticeable. My makeup applies more smoothly now because my skin surface is refined and even. Another unexpected benefit was how balanced my skin became. I used to get random breakouts around my T zone. Since incorporating this exfoliant into my routine, those surprise blemishes are rare. My skin looks calmer, clearer, and brighter overall. A little goes a long way. One bottle lasts months, making it an incredible value for the results it delivers. It layers beautifully with serums and moisturizer and does not pill under sunscreen or foundation. If you are dealing with clogged pores, blackheads, dullness, or uneven texture, this is the product to try. It is powerful yet gentle. Simple yet transformative. I can confidently say this is a forever staple in my skincare routine. Absolute five star holy grail status.

This exfoliant works really well for my skin. After a few uses, I noticed my pores looked cleaner and my skin felt smoother overall. It’s gentle and doesn’t irritate, even with regular use. The texture is lightweight and absorbs quickly, so it’s easy to add into a skincare routine. Definitely worth it if you’re dealing with clogged pores or uneven texture.

I LOVE this product, but it didn't help with my enlarged pores or wrinkles as I'd hoped. That said, it definitely helped with blackheads, which was a nice bonus. My routine: I have combination skin and use this on my face both morning and night. Applied it with a cotton round. Texture: Left a greasy feel after application, which wasn't ideal but manageable. Why I tried it: Had good reviews on Amazon and other sites, so I thought I'd give it a go. Value: One bottle lasts a long time - good bang for your buck. Current status: Had to stop using it with other skin treatments I'm on now (tretinoin), but I bought several bottles when I was using it regularly because I liked it so much for blackheads. Bottom line: If you're dealing with blackheads, this works really well. Just don't expect miracles for pores or anti-aging. I'd still recommend it for what it does best.

This has been working very well for my skin. I can easily see my skin getting clearer and it doesn't bother my skin. I usually use it every day to every other day and it really helps the appearance of my skin in combination with my cleaners, serum, and moisturizer. This is one of the first liquid exfoliants that I've used and I would definitely recommend it.

This is one of those products I bought without expecting too much, but I ended up actually looking forward to using it every time. My skin isn’t overly dry or oily — just… needy. A little dull if I skip hydration, a little uneven in tone, and I’ve started seeing some fine lines around my eyes and mouth that weren’t there before. I’m not new to skincare, but I’m also not someone who throws 8 steps at my face daily either — I just want products that work and don’t cause more problems. The first thing I noticed is how balanced this formula feels. It doesn’t leave that stripped feeling some exfoliants do, but it also doesn’t feel greasy or filmy either. There’s no “tingle” — which I honestly appreciate, because I don’t want to feel like I’m burning off my skin barrier just to get results. I’ve been using it at night about 3x a week. After cleansing, I apply it directly to dry skin, no cotton pad — just clean hands. I wait a few minutes, then I follow up with a light niacinamide serum and a ceramide-rich cream. I haven’t had any irritation, peeling, or redness. No breakouts either, which was my fear because some products that are meant to exfoliate end up clogging me even more (weird, I know). The biggest difference I’ve seen is in texture. I had this slightly bumpy area between my brows and along my jawline that always looked rough under makeup. Within 5–6 days of using this, those areas felt smoother, and my skin just looked more even in general — less patchy, less tired. Also worth noting: it plays well under makeup. Some treatments make foundation pill or slide off, but this just kind of disappears into the skin once it dries down. There’s no sticky layer left behind. I use it at night mostly, but I tried it in the morning once before sunscreen and it still behaved. I don’t use a lot — maybe a dime-sized amount for my whole face. It doesn’t smell like much (no added fragrance, which is good for me). I always wait at least 10 minutes before layering anything on top, which seems to help it absorb fully. If your skin is sensitive or dry, I’d go slow at first — maybe 1–2x a week and work your way up. And yes, wear sunscreen every day — that’s just basic skincare at this point, but especially important with exfoliants. I’ll update after a month or two if anything changes, but so far, this has been a solid addition to my routine. If you’re dealing with early signs of aging or just want to smooth out some roughness without nuking your skin, this is worth a shot. It’s one of those rare products that feels gentle but still does something.

Update: My face is so soft and smooth, it’s insane. No dry flaky skin on my nose as usual, seriously decreased sebaceous filaments, small blackheads. Skin feels tighter, pores smaller, tone evened out so much brighter, my skin feels super clean. I also use it on my neck and chest. My daughter’s KP has improved immensely. This stuff is pure magic. Update: My daughter has KP on her face, so I tried this since exfoliating keeps her bumps from getting worse. Wow. Instantly smoothed her skin with first use, noticeably reduced appearance of bumps. Second application, her skin is even smoother, redness of some bumps reduced. Amazing. I’m 48, oily skin and noticing my pores. I’ve seen this, so tried it out. Pricey for me, but I got it anyway. Wow. First use. Immediately noticed very smooth skin texture. Pores already look a bit smaller, not so open to junk to fill them up. I ignored the directions and used it a second time at night. Same result. My face is so soft, smooth. I’ve used scrubs, masks, insanely priced lotions. A splash of this produced immediate smoothing results. No flaky parts left for makeup to gravitate to. No greasy after feeling. No burning, irritation. No redness.

First off, I don’t do reviews unless a product is really bad or really good, because I expect that a product should do what it is advertised to do. I’m also HIGHLY skeptical when it comes to beauty products. I was told in my 20’s that once you get large pores, you can’t shrink them. So, I made the best I could with the pores on my nose that had already started to get more noticeable. I used all sorts of things, pore strips, clay masks and charcoal masks. My regimen still includes steaming, then putting a clay mask on my t zone over night once a week or so. I’m 49, and I was still under the belief that I would have to deal with enlarged pores, along with the fine lines I’ve started to develop, all as a normal part of aging. But this year, when face primer and makeup was no longer hiding my pores, I had enough! I would like to say quickly, my pores are clean, they aren’t blackheads, they are just large, and numerous. So, looking on Amazon I came across this product. I read the reviews and it seemed as though this worked for others, and wasn’t ridiculously priced, so I bought it a month ago, and started using it as directed. Twice a day, morning and night, after I wash my face, I apply it to my entire face, neck, and chest. Once upon a time I was also told, whatever you do for your face, do for your entire neck and chest, this is called your décolletage, and you will thank yourself when you are older, because if you don’t apply your beauty routine to the whole area, you will have a crepey neck and wrinkly cleavage, which will stand out because it won’t match your face. In the immortal words of Dolly Parton in Steel Magnolias: “Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it's marchin' across your face!” So there is no getting away from aging, but we can at least keep moisturized and looking our best. I have sensitive skin, and can’t just use anything on my face, other reviewers said the same, and they had no issues with this product irritating their sensitive skin. Absolutely did NOT irritate my skin! I wash my face, apply it, then apply my lotion. No burning of any sort. It was so gentle, I was half thinking it might not even have anything in it to even do what it says it can do! A month later, I can tell you, my pores haven’t completely disappeared, but are smaller, and have become shallower as well. You can still see them, but I am looking with a super high magnifying mirror. I hope that it will continue to make them smaller, but even if I have hit the maximum that it can do for me, I will keep buying it and using it to make sure to keep them the same level I’ve achieved so far. With a primer and makeup, I’m very happy that my nose pores no longer stand out! 5 stars, highly recommend, and I’m putting this on my list of subscriptions so I never run out! If you got to the bottom of this, you have the patience to buy this and give it a chance. Tell ‘em Large Marge sent ya! ;)