Paula’s Choice Review: What You Need To Know About 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant

Ladies!

Welcome to Paula’s Choice reviews! Are you curious to know more about the best Paula's Choice products? Here is my review of the brand and the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant!  It has been a while since I haven’t written a beauty review!Luckily, I have finally found some free time to write and instantly update you with the latest beauty products I have used. 

The coronavirus and the period of quarantine have undoubtedly left us all in a state no one was fully prepared for, forcing us to completely redefine our daily routine. Already at the beginning, I told myself that besides my physical health, my mental health remains a key priority, which of course involves keeping my sacred beauty rituals.  In the last couple of odd months, without the urgent need to leave the house often, I have finally decided to use this opportunity to go makeup-free. As I genuinely love wearing makeup on a daily basis, this was quite a challenge but I thought it was worth it for my skin to breathe more and get that healthy, fresh glow. Sad to relate, things didn’t really go as planned. My skin didn’t recover in these last few months but only got worse. Blame it on the face masks, social anxiety, or stress, but I am not the only one. Most women I have talked to allegedly had similar issues, and that is precisely why the following beauty review might be useful to many.  I naturally have sensitive skin and in the last period, I have noticed small acne-like marks appearing on my face. If you have followed my posts before, you will know I have in the past explored numerous brands, which you can check here.  However, I have never tried the beauty brand called Paula’s Choice. My mutual friend was using some of their gentle cleansers and exfoliants, and she was extremely happy with them. I carefully decided to give them a try and here are some of my key insights:

About Paula’s Choice 

Paula’s Choice is a skincare brand that focuses on developing beauty products that are safe, effective, and do not harm our health. They are UK-based and aim to offer smart, research-based, and safe beauty care. What I specifically like about them is how they do not place any unnecessary ingredients in their unique products, but only focus on what our precious skin truly needs. For instance, all of their products typically contain antioxidants and skin-replenishing ingredients that gently help restore our skin. As antioxidants prevent and slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, they efficiently reduce inflammation and naturally stimulate collagen production. How great is that! 

Paula’s Choice: cruelty-free and eco-friendly

Extra points for these features! Paula’s Choice has never tested on animals, and never will, which is something I constantly search for. Moreover, at their site, they claim to actively be looking to implement sustainable elements in their products. They also aim to meaningfully reduce plastic pollution with their recyclable packages. Although today you can never be 100% sure whether such specific claims are greenwashing or not, I truly hope they are being honest about this. 

 Paula’s Choice: Where to buy, return policies and expert advice 

In case you have ordered a product and are not fully happy with it, Paula’s Choice allows you to return it within 60 days to receive a full refund. Moreover, they wouldn't really bother if you already sampled the product or not, so you can send it back if you opened the package. When looking at their site, I did not see how, and whether, they have adapted to the coronavirus situation when it comes to return policies. As many brands now practice destroying returned goods, it would be practical to accurately know how the brand handles this key issue. This part is, truth be told, a bit unclear! On the other side, what I enjoyed about their site is that they include a whole section properly reserved for expert advice. They have plenty of blog posts about different skin issues, so you can inevitably go and seek some advice. Now that I have shared some basic information about the brand, let’s go ahead with the review of the product I have purchased. As mentioned before, I started noticing small acne issues, so I ordered the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant to start with. 

2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant - €31.00

This Body Spot exfoliant is a light body treatment that focuses on key areas where you typically have rougher skin, such as elbows, knees, and heels. The 2% BHA means that the exfoliant has a lower pH level compared to other Paula’s Choice products that contain this ingredient. Because of this feature, it maximizes the salicylic acid’s ability to exfoliate. As such, it is ideal for specific areas with thickened and rough skin. Although I do not suffer from specific problems there, I really like the idea of using a product that addresses places that rarely get care.The exfoliant has a very smooth, light texture and makes your skin feel soft throughout the day. Since I discovered the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant, it has instantly become an inevitable beauty product I genuinely love applying. 

How does 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant work?

The three essential benefits of the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant are that it helps remove dead skin cells that build up, it progressively reduces red bumps and in this manner leaves the skin smoother. The BHA key component of the ingredient stands for beta hydroxy acid. Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acid) that peel the surface of your skin, the BHAs get deep in your pores, removing dead skin cells and excess sebum. With its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant successfully gets through the oil and helps treat blackheads and whiteheads. Here is a short video of how Paula’s Choice explains BHA:

What I cherish about this product is that although it is powerful enough to cleanse inside the pores, it greatly works on the surface of your skin. Its features make it ideal for women with oily, acne-prone skin, it is equally sensitive enough to treat rosacea-prone skin. As I am not the most adoring fan of aggressive treatments, this efficient, yet soothing product seems to offer the ideal balance. 

How to use Paula’s Choice exfoliants? 

To apply the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant, all you need to do is put a small amount of the product in the palm of your hand and carefully apply it on your skin. Before use, you should make sure your skin is clean. 

Using circular motions, you can apply the product on your skin. This product is ideal for impatient, active women, as you do not need to wait for it to sufficiently dry. Instead, you can apply another moisturizer, serum, or any other product immediately afterward. 

How often should you apply the exfoliant? 

Although everyone has unique skin needs, Paula’s Choice typically recommends using their exfoliant daily. For myself, I apply it about three times a week, as I do not have big problems with acne. If you use the exfoliant during the day, make sure to apply a sunscreen afterward. Over here are the two products I combine with the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant. I apply the moisturizer during the night, and the sunscreen during the day: 

Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser - € 32,00 (night cream for acne-prone skin) 

 Sunscreen SPF 50 - € 24,00 (with a matte finish, ideal after using the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant) 

Where can you buy Paula’s Choice?

Due to coronavirus, I ordered products from Paula’s Choice online. They offer free delivery for orders over €40, which I found reasonably affordable as most of their products are already over €30. What's more, you can buy their products through authorized retailers in-store. You can identify all their 20 store worldwide locations here.I purchased the 2% BHA Body Spot Exfoliant for €31, for a bottle of 210 ML. Although I have been applying the product for over 2 months now, I sincerely believe it can last for at least 2 more months, which is more than enough for me. For the quality you get at Paula’s Choice and the brand’s values I identify with, I would definitely recommend checking them out. Have you tried any of Paula’s Choice skincare products? I am curious to hear about your experiences! 

PS. If you have any specific questions, let me know in the comments below, happy to help! 

Love, 

Una