Review: Paula's Choice BHA

My best friend

I have been experimenting with Paula's Choice products for about 2 years now. I have used her moisturizers, masks, but what impresses me the most is her BHA. Her regular BHA comes in 3 formulas: lotion, gel, and liquid. Lotion is generally recommended for dry, get for combo, and liquid for oily skin gals and guys. These 3 formulas also come in 2 different strengths: 1% and 2%. However, not too long ago, Paula's Choice has released a new miracle product called Resist BHA 9. It is a high strength BHA that can do the following 9 things:

According to the Paula's choice website:

1. Unclog pores with the first use
2. Diminish white bumps
3. Minimize enlarged pores
4. Refine and smooth skin's texture
5. Minimize sebaceous hyperplasia
6. Smooth and soften dry, rough patches
7. Help balance oily skin
8. Fade red marks from breakouts
9. Reduce breakout

 I have oily to combo skin. I have been playing with various concentration of various formula but I thing my favorite for everyday use is 2% gel formula. As I have oily and acne prone skin, I need the whole 2% strength. In terms of the formula, I find that liquid takes too long to dry on my face. I have to wait 30 seconds or so until I move onto serum or moisturizer. Also, with liquid, I always get inconsistent amount onto my cotton pads or my hands. On the other hand, gel is easy as I need one pump to cover my entire face. Same amount, every single time.

I am a true believer in gentle, constant, daily exfoliation. This is why I swear by Tatcha rice enzyme powder to wash my face in the morning followed by BHA 2% as toner morning and night. Before I started using BHA and Tatcha products, I used to exfoliate my face weekly or biweekly using harsh abrasive exfoliator to get the thick layer of dead epidermis cells off of my face. ew. This weekly exfoliation was never good as I my face would be red/irritated the first few days after I exfoliate... there just wouldn't be time where my face actually looks brightened since it becomes irritated --> dull. And before I know it, it is time for abrasive exfoliation again!

After a few weeks of daily gentle exfoliation with BHA and Tatcha, my epidermis has come to a balance. The perfect balance where my skin adjusted to amount of exfoliation = amount of skin layer replication. For every day glow. I will never go back to the old days of harsh exfoliation!

Also, BHA 9 is my miracle product. I am not quite sure about the other 8 things that Paula claims... but I can swear that it is the only product that can do one particular thing. OVERNIGHT. This is the one and only product that can erase the milia under my eyes. As I stated under my eye cream reviews, I tried a lot of eye creams that were not suited for me that actually did more harms than good. When I try too thick of an eye cream, I develop those annoying white bumps... i hate you... After a long trial and error, I have finally landed at 2~3 eye creams that I can reliable use without getting milia. Thank you lord. However, during the dark times, I always relied on BHA 9 to erase the dark past. What I do is a spot treat right on the milia. Within a day or two or spot treatments, the milia is resorbed away! so cool.

Really annoying thing is that the pump on BHA 9 pumps out too much product. This product is definitely meant to be a spot treatment. The strength of BHA is just too strong to be used all over the face everyday. I try not to waste product my spreading the left over pump over my neck or something. But I can't wait until Paula's Choice redesign the packaging!! Thank you in advance. I will always need/love you.http://www.paulaschoice.com/shop/collections/RESIST-Anti-Aging/_/RESIST-BHA-9/?gclid=CLq1oq_puLoCFc1AMgodDSMAvg