Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment Review

Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment
5.0
/ 10
Moisturizing
10.0 Humectancy icon Humectancy
0.0 Occlusivity icon Occlusivity
Rich Skin Soothing icon
in Skin Soothers
Ingredients

Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment Ingredients

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Full Ingredient List (INCI):

Propylene Glycol, PEG-75 Stearate, PEG-8, Water, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Arginine, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA
Review

Does Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment Work?

 
According to CreamScan's analysis of the ingredient list, here’s what Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment has to offer:
 
✅ Strong humectant moisturizing. This lightweight, humectant-rich product, ideal for oily skin, has a moisturizing rating of 5.0 out of 10.
✅ Soothing: Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment contains a high concentration of soothing ingredients, which may help to reduce irritation and calm the skin.

  

Key Benefits of Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

 
These are the key benefits you can expect from using Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment:
 

🔵 Lightweight Purely Humectant Moisturizing, Ideal for Oily Skin

According to CreamScan analysis, Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment is quite moisturizing, with a moisturizing rating of 5.0 out of 10.

Is it more humectant or occlusive? It is purely humectant. It has zero occlusivity (we didn't find any occlusive ingredients on the ingredient list) and a maximum humectancy of 10 out of 10, primarily due to the high content of Propylene Glycol (est. ≈50.0%) and PEG-8 (est. ≈11.0%).

This humectant-rich product, when used alone as a moisturizer, is ideal for oily skin, providing significant hydration in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula without any occlusive ingredients.

📌 Certain studies suggest that humectants alone may not effectively moisturize the skin. If you use this product as your only moisturizer, we recommend following it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients.

💧 A Humectant Boost for Any Skincare Routine

But it’s not limited to oily skin - such a humectant boost will also positively contribute to the moisturizing efficacy of any skincare routine when used as a step before applying the main moisturizer. This type of formulation is typically used in serums, where a light, fast-absorbing texture is key.

Please refer to the Ratings section below for details of the moisturizing rating calculation.

🔴 Skin Soothing and Calming Potential

Based on the ingredient list analysis, Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment is rich (> 5%) in soothing ingredients, particularly Salicylic Acid (est. ≈2.0%).

When applied to the skin, compounds of soothing ingredients, such as triglycerides, phospholipids, fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants, work together to soothe the skin through various mechanisms: reducing inflammation, promoting wound healing, repairing the skin barrier, and providing antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

📌 Please note that this is not a complete list of benefits. We are in the process of enhancing our model to incorporate anti-pigmentation, exfoliation and anti-acne ratings.

Things to Be Aware Of: Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

 
CreamScan identified a few things to consider before adding Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment to your skincare routine:
 

⚠️ If It’s Your Only Moisturizer, It Needs to Be Paired with Some Occlusives

While humectants are highly effective at attracting water to the skin, studies (J. N. Kraft, C. W. Lynde) suggest they may not be efficient when used alone.

One major drawback of purely humectant moisturization is that the water attracted by humectants to the upper layers of the skin can evaporate completely into the environment through transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Adding occlusive ingredients helps seal this moisture into the skin and prevent further water loss.

If you’re using Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment as your only moisturizer, consider pairing it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients, such as oils, butters, or silicones. These work alongside humectants to create a protective barrier, locking in hydration and ensuring longer-lasting moisturization. The amount of occlusive needed depends on your skin type - the drier the skin, the more occlusives it requires.

If this product is used not as a standalone moisturizer but as part of your skincare routine, such as a toner or serum, it should be applied before your main moisturizer (unless it's a sunscreen), which will provide the necessary occlusivity on top of it.

Pros & Cons of Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

 
Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment to help you decide if it’s the right choice for your skincare routine:
 

🟩 Pros:

✅ When used alone: Provides humectant-rich moisturizing ideal for oily skin
✅ As part of a routine: A humectant moisturizing boost, beneficial for any skin type
✅ Lightweight texture
✅ Potentially soothing, as it contains a high concentration of soothing ingredients, specifically Salicylic Acid
 

⭕ Cons: 

⚠️ Only if used as a standalone moisturizer - it needs to be paired with occlusives to seal in humectants
   

Summary: Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment

 
Based on the ingredient list analysis, CreamScan AI suggests that Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment
, when used alone, delivers lightweight, humectant-rich moisturizing, making it ideal for oily skin. As part of a moisturizing routine, it provides a humectant boost, beneficial for all skin types.
 
With a high concentration of soothing ingredients, Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment has the potential to calm and comfort irritated skin. Whether you’re experiencing redness, irritation, or general sensitivity, its soothing properties may help restore balance and provide relief.
 
That said, there are some things about Paula's Choice BHA 9 Treatment worth noting.
 
Looking at its moisturizing profile, we found that it doesn’t contain any occlusive ingredients, potentially allowing the moisture attracted to the skin by humectants to evaporate. Therefore, if it’s used as the only moisturizer in a routine, it’s recommended to pair it with one that contains at least some occlusive ingredients, such as oils, butters, or silicones.
 
📌 Fact check. At CreamScan, we are committed to accuracy and fairness. If you spot any errors or something that doesn’t seem right, please click here to let us know. We regularly update the ingredient lists and monitor the latest research on ingredient efficacy to ensure that our information remains as complete and precise as possible. The information provided here is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional advice. We do not guarantee the efficacy or safety of any product, as individual results may vary.

 

Ingredient Breakdown

Est. % Ingredient Origin Functions
50
22
11
6
2
1.9
1.8
1.5
1
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Est. %
Propylene Glycol
Function:
Origin:
PEG-75 Stearate
Function:
Origin:
PEG-8
Function:
Origin:
Water
Function:
Origin:
Salicylic Acid
Function:
Origin:
Glycerin
Function:
Origin:
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract
Function:
Origin:
Butylene Glycol
Function:
Origin:
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Function:
Origin:
Sea Whip Extract
Function:
Origin:
Arginine
Function:
Origin:
Polysorbate 20
Function:
Origin:
Disodium EDTA
Function:
Origin:

Ratings

All humectants
64.7
50
11
1.9
1.5
0.3
Benchmark
10
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Moisturizing rating
5.0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Raiting
Humectancy All humectants 64.7 10
10.0
50
11
1.9
1.5
0.3
Occlusivity All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
None
Moisturizing rating
5.0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Humectancy
50
11
1.9
1.5
0.3
All humectants 64.7 10
10
All humectants
64.7
50
11
1.9
1.5
0.3
Benchmark
10
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark Occlusivity
None
All occlusives 0.0 20
0.0
All occlusives
0.0
None
Benchmark
20
Ingredient
Ingredient anti-wrinkle power
when present at, %
in this formula est. %
Rating
None
Total
0
None
Anti-wrinkle rating
0
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Antioxidants
1.8
All antioxidants 1.8 3 No
All antioxidants
1.8
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract
1.8
Benchmark
3
Ingredient Est. % Benchmark
Rich in Soothing
2
1.8
1
0.3
All soothing 5.1 5 Rich in soothing
All soothing
5.1
2
1.8
1
0.3
Benchmark
5

Ingredients explained

Propylene Glycol
Est. %50
Function
Origin
Propylene GlycolA clear, thick, odorless liquid of synthetic origin. Its main function is to stabilize cosmetic products exposed to varying temperatures. It is also a moderately strong humectant with similar properties to glycerin.
PEG-75 Stearate
Est. %22
Function
Origin
PEG-75 Stearate
PEG-8
Est. %11
Function
Origin
PEG-8A synthetic liquid that serves as a humectant. It also works as a solvent because of its ability to dissolve a wide range of ingredients.
Water
Est. %6
Function
Origin
WaterThe most used ingredient in skincare. Its concentration defines the product texture: rich creams may have about 50% of water while a light jelly about 90%. Water doesn’t moisturize the skin by itself and is used in skincare as a solvent for other ingredients.
Salicylic Acid
Est. %2
Function
Origin
Salicylic AcidThis effective peeling and anti-inflammatory BHA is used as an anti-acne agent and works by breaking down the junctions between dead skin cells. This results in the peeling of dead skin and the unclogging of pores.
Glycerin
Est. %1.9
Function
Origin
Glycerin

The most popular moisturizing ingredient in the world. It is a powerful humectant – cheap yet very effective.

Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract
Est. %1.8
Function
Origin
Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel ExtractA beneficial extract obtained from Oat groats popular in products aimed at eczema-prone skin. It contains skin healing beta-glucan, anti-inflammatory phenolic compounds, antioxidant flavonoids, various lipids, proteins, and moisturizing amino acids.
Butylene Glycol
Est. %1.5
Function
Origin
Butylene Glycol

A clear, colorless liquid humectant that draws moisture to the skin. The humectancy of butylene glycol, owed to its two hydroxyl groups, is quite considerable, although not as powerful as glycerin, which contains three hydroxyl groups.

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Est. %1
Function
Origin
Boerhavia Diffusa Root ExtractA soothing extract derived from punarnava, an Ayurvedic herb. It contains anti-inflammatory and wound healing rotenoids, terpenoids, and organic acids.
Sea Whip Extract
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Sea Whip ExtractAn extract derived from soft sea corals called sea fans or sea whips. It allegedly contains some anti-inflammatory terpenoid compounds.
Arginine
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
ArginineA humectant amino acid used to attract water to the skin’s surface. It is a part of the skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor, a mixture of various compounds that keeps the skin’s surface well hydrated. Arginine can also be used as a pH adjuster.
Polysorbate 20
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Polysorbate 20A viscous, amber-colored liquid that functions as a solubilizer to disperse small amounts of oil into a large water phase. Polysorbate 20 is frequently used to solubilize fragrance oils into water-based emulsions.
Disodium EDTA
Est. %0.3
Function
Origin
Disodium EDTAA synthetic chelator that helps to maintain the look and smell of a product by 'locking up' troublesome metal ions.