Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant vs The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Paula's Choice BHA wins on pore control and oily skin. The Ordinary glycolic takes surface brightness at a lower price.
How They Compare
The things that actually matter 💅
Pick Your Side 💜
Which one stole your heart?
Which One Is For You?
Two amazing products, two different vibes ✨
- You are mostly concerned with blackheads and clogged pores
- You need an exfoliant that works inside your pores
- You trust the product with the biggest cult following
- You want to resurface dull skin and improve radiance
- You like the tingling feeling that tells you it is working
- You want a massive bottle of exfoliant at a tiny price
The Full Story
LoveBar's deep-dive, written for humans 💕
AHA versus BHA — the fundamental exfoliation choice that every skincare person eventually faces. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toning Solution is an AHA that works on the surface of your skin, dissolving dead cells and revealing brighter, smoother skin underneath. It is fantastic for dullness, uneven tone, and mild texture issues, and the enormous bottle at a tiny price makes it almost unfairly good value. Paula's Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a different beast — salicylic acid is oil-soluble, meaning it can actually get inside your pores and clean them out from within. For blackheads, congestion, and oily skin, this deeper action makes a real difference. The choice is less about which is better and more about what your skin needs. Dull surface that needs brightening? The Ordinary glycolic acid will reveal fresh skin for almost nothing. Clogged pores that need deep cleaning? Paula's Choice BHA is the established champion. Many people eventually use both, just on different nights.