Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant & 2% BHA Liquid Duo - Facial Exfoliants for Blackheads, Enlarged Pores, Wrinkles, and Fine Lines w/Glycolic and Salicylic Acid

There's a review already on this product set that explains how to do a great home exfoliation, which I tested, and loved. It works! Clean your face of all gunk/products. On clean, dry skin, use this BHA, wait 20 minutes. Then use this AHA, wait 20 minutes. Then use an oil product (I use DHC) and massage face for about 5-10 minutes. The first time I tried this, my face literally peeled straight off. It was magnificent. I do this once a week now, using these products, and it's less extreme than the first time, but dead skin still peels off, and my skin has been a lot softer and more glowy since I started this. And I've noticed my pores seem more minimized, like I'm finally cleaning all the gunk out of them. MY FACE IS RED AFTERWARDS. I always have some dry, flaky patches after I do this peel, so I do it on the weekend and try to lotion like crazy all weekend. I didn't start slow and work my way into it. I just went straight into using them both at the same time. It's my fault. You're supposed to get used to actives slowly, one at a time, in small quantities. But I like dramatic results, and burned my face for a while because of it. But the results after healing were still very nice. And I keep doing it. So hopefully I'll get used to it soon. Highly recommend using this set! They seem to work great together! My skin is dry and sensitive, not oily, not acne prone. Just dull and ugly and gross and textured and pigmented with old granny spots.

This exfoliant has become a trusted part of my skincare ritual. The 8% AHA gel glides on smoothly, absorbs quickly, and leaves no sticky residue. It’s fragrance-free, non-irritating, and delivers real results—brighter skin, smoother texture, and a noticeable glow over time. I use it a few nights a week, and it’s helped even out tone and reduce dullness without any harshness. It feels like a quiet reset button—just enough to refresh, never too much to overwhelm. If you’re looking for a product that works with your skin, not against it, this one earns its place. It’s skincare that respects the process.

I bought this duo last year after reading online reviews. I bought the BHA for my husband. I used the AHA product a couple of times for anti-aging, wasn't sure what to think, and it ended up in my medicine cabinet. Recently I was having a great deal of flakiness from using Retin-A and decided to retry the AHA. I'm so glad I did! I am older with dry skin and old acne scars and uneven skin tone. I discontinued the Retin-A and started using the AHA last week at night. Within a few days, and after experiencing no sensitivity to the product, I saw improved skin tone, no flakiness, and smoother skin texture - even my acne scars appeared diminished. I also saw my pore size reduced, and it's almost eliminated the white heads on my nose. This week I decided to try using it 2X a day (morning and night) My skin continues to improve, and I've experienced no dryness. My crow's feet and lines around my mouth are much softer. What's especially exciting is how much my skin tone has evened out in a short amount of time. After cleansing, I apply 1-2 pumps with my hands to my face, neck, and decolletage (a little goes a long way). I then wait about 25 minutes before applying any serums, moisturizer and sunscreen (in the morning). My skin looks so much smoother, I can even use less foundation. I feel like it's working better than the Retin-A (I am a longtime user). I'm impressed!

Great product, see fast results with even skin/helps with pores/dullness. Used together with other products it’s great

Disclaimer: I’m a middle-aged guy who’s never really ever done much with facial stuff other than buying special facial soap. I barely know what I’m talking about and this is a strange new world for me. I’ve always had a problem with acne on my nose, it’s perpetually red to the point where many people ask me if I have a sunburn. That skin is oily to the point where in the evening I can “sop” it up with a tissue, and the pores have large, almost pinhead sized plugs in them. A few months ago I spontaneously decided to try to do something about it all. 20 years ago I remember getting a Biore strip sample, was looking into whether those still existed, and read that glycolic and salicylic acid might be better. The Paula’s Choice exfoliant Duo looked like it was worth a try. I first tried both on my arm, then a lower part of my neck- just to make sure they didn’t burn a hole through me or cause an adverse reaction. The 8% AHA gel (glycolic acid in white bottle), being a gel, is easy to put on with your bare hands. I wash my face and leave it on overnight. The first time I used it when I went to take a shower in the morning and touched my face I was startled because it didn’t feel like my face. Your skin feels completely replaced, I half jumped out of the shower to look in the mirror worried that something horrible may have transpired. But it was fine. I probably should have taken before and after pictures because I’m not totally sure what the visual difference is, but you can definitely feel it with your fingers. They mention discontinuing if it feels burning or uncomfortable, but I think you definitely feel something. After I shave I use an alum block, and it’s nothing like that; not stinging, but a little tingly. The 2% BHA liquid (salicylic acid in black bottle) is not a gel and benefits from an applicator of some sort- cotton balls would probably work if I had any but I ended up getting reusable LastObject cotton pads. Again, pre-wash face and then leave overnight. The pinhead sized pore plugs visibly shrank ~50% or so; you definitely still have pores but my nose looks eerily smooth and less like the surface of the moon. I definitely prefer this to that one Biore strip I tried; it’s a more subtle reduction in pore visibility as opposed to tearing the plugs out and leaving behind pore craters. They recommend using every day, but I’ve been using both once a week and been happy enough. Amongst the other things I’ve done, my skin has definitely improved. I visited my sister last week and she was annoyed that my skin looked better than hers- let’s just keep this our secret, shall we?

I bought these to try out because I've read great reviews on Paula's Choice products. They really work! I have oily skin prone to breakouts and have started to use the BHA liquid on any areas I feel like might be developing acne. AFter I wash my face and use toner I apply the liquid on my T zone. Literally overnight it clears up my skin or prevents what I already have from getting worse. I use the gel on any existing acne and there is a noticeable difference, they shrink right up in a day or two. I always have these handy because they work the best of any I have tried without overdrying. Highly recommend and have purchased many times!

To strong for skin

I have enlarged pores and have been getting a few of them treated with TCA cross. My skin is oily around the T-zone area and I have thick sebaceous skin if that gives you any idea of what my skin is like. I was desperate to find something that could help minimize the appearance of my pores, and chatGPT recommended to use this in conjunction with Paula's Choice "niacinamide booster" to reduce the appearance of pore size. What the niacinamide does is plump your skin up so that the pores look "shrunk" and the BHA exfoliates deep into your pores to clear them up. I feel like my skin looks almost perfect, and I can barely see my pores with the naked eye now. You need both of these products if you are looking for the same results!