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Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant vs The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant and The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution are both treatments — both are dosed with Glycolic Acid. On evidence, The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution grades higher — B, 81/100 versus D, 57/100. The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution costs $23 less (70% cheaper). That makes The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution the stronger pick on both efficacy and price.
Side by side
Grade, key actives, and price — the actives they share (Glycolic Acid) are what do the work.
How we grade
Both products are graded A–F on the same standard: the active, its published effective concentration, and the study behind it — never marketing. A cheaper product can out-grade a pricier one. See the full methodology. Buy links are affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no cost to you, and it never changes a grade.
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Get the appBased on published concentration thresholds and formulation science. Our algorithm predicts likely efficacy — it does not test the product. Individual results vary. Not evaluated by the FDA. Comparisons are based on graded efficacy, shared actives, and published dosing — not side-by-side clinical testing; textures and tolerability still differ.