Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel.

Masks & Peels

About this product

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel is a weekly chemical exfoliant peel with 25% AHAs (glycolic, lactic, mandelic) and 2% salicylic acid, left on skin for 10 minutes then rinsed off.

Full ingredients

Water (Aqua), Aminomethyl Propanol, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Isoamyl Laurate, Tartaric Acid, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Malic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Clitoria Ternatea (Butterfly Pea) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Titanium Dioxide/Ci 77891 (Cl 77891), Mica (Ci 77019), Phenoxyethanol

Guru Score

67%

Mixed

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

2Gurus

1Approved

0Mixed

1Skip

What the gurus are saying

This peel smooths the skin surface and helps with oiliness, blackheads, and texture. Opinions split on value: some find it fairly priced, while others see the $45 for 1 oz as steep for a rinse-off product. However, if you're already exfoliating twice daily, this weekly peel would likely be too much.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take February 2025

Type

Masks & Peels

Key actives

Hyaluronic acid Salicylic acid (BHA)AHAVitamin E

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Skip

"Which is a whopping $45 for again 1 oce this is a peel it's a rinse off product"

Dr Dray

2.68M subs

~Approved

"I like this product too. I reviewed it earlier this year. It has twenty-five percent alpha hydroxy acids, and those alpha hydroxy acids include glycolic, lactic, and mandelic. It also has salicylic acid. This is a product that you put onto the skin, leave on for ten minutes, and then rinse off and you only need to use it once a week. It also has butterfly pea flour in it which has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and gives it this kind of purplish coloration. I like this product a lot. It's a great way to just smooth out the surface of the skin, help with oiliness, blackheads, comedones, and to improve skin texture as well. I think this is a good value. However, I would caution you that if you are using another exfoliant twice a day, it's probably going to be unnecessary and too much for you to also use this once a week."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Sunscreen filters

Sun protection is the best evidenced way to slow visible ageing, and the filters are what does the work. Mineral and chemical filters both protect when a product is applied thickly enough and often enough, which is where most people fall short rather than on the choice of filter.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel?

Is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 67%.

What is Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel's Guru Score?

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 25% AHA 2% BHA Exfoliant Peel holds a Guru Score of 67%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.