Absolutely not. It’s a common, temporary reaction that will usually subside after about 4 weeks of use. Use of Differin Gel should not be discontinued, but be sure to always use it just once daily. Try a gentle, non-comedogenic moisturizer, like Differin Soothing Moisturizer, to help manage irritation.
The early skin irritation that sometimes occurs when using Differin Gel is known as retinization, which is the adjustment period when your skin adapts to the retinoid. Using a gentle cleanser and moisturizer may help decrease dryness and other signs of irritation. If you experience prolonged symptoms, or if irritation becomes severe (overly bothersome), stop use and consult your physician before using the product again.
Irritation may occur if using more than one topical acne product at a time. Avoid products containing harsh chemicals, salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acid or glycolic acid, which may dry out skin and worsen irritation.
Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant.
A Quick Summary
- they both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, silicones or sulfates.
- they are reef safe.
- these products have a total of 2 ingredients in common.
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Type of product Serum
Used in
627 Routines
Brand country
American
Dupe finder
6 Dupes
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
Type of product Exfoliator
Used in
37 Routines
Brand country
American
Dupe finder
9 Dupes
Try a different comparison
Let's get started on our detailed breakdown of every aspect of these two products. Continue reading to learn more about these two products 🎉
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Versus
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
Price
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Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Buy it now
$14.97 Buy
$17.99 Buy
$36.00 Buy
Buy
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
Buy it now
$34.00 Buy
$34.00 Buy
Category
Here's a bit more info about the categories that these two products belong to.
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment Category
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Category
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Rating
Here's what our community thinks
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment Rating
5.0/5
Best Drug Store Retinol
Ever since I have found out about this product, it has changed my skin forever! Acne and fine lines and wrinkles are all fading and nearly non-existent! Highly recommended product!
from LocalNewYorkerBeen Using For 3+ Years
I started Differin a few years ago and it has honestly completely changed my skin. I'm going to preface this review that this isn't really for everyone, and a lot of people are going to be scared of using it the first few weeks as many may be very sensitive to it at first (there are plenty of dermatologists on the internet that can explain the science behind it which puts things into perspective). But after a few months, I saw dramatic results with my acne. I used to get terribly painful nodu...
from jaboingaPaula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Rating
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it nowProduct Information
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
alcohol-free
Alcohol Free
Some harsh forms of alcohol can break down your skin's natural barrier with prolonged use.
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
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silicon-free
Silicon Free
Silicones are a colorless substance derived from the silicon mineral used to help boost the appearance and feel of a product.
This product is free of silicons 🎉
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fragrance-free
Fragrance Free
Fragrances are the ingredients in your skincare that either neutralize bad scents or are used to make a product smell good. Fragrances come in 3 forms: synthetic, natural, or essential oils.
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
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sulfate-free
Sulfate Free
Sulfates are a type of salt mainly used as cleaning agents in skincare.
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
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paraben-free
Contains Parabens
Parabens are a type of preservative to preserve shelf-life and prevent growth of bacteria in products.
Ingredients in this product that are types of parabens:
- Methylparaben
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oil-free
Oil Free
Oil is a hydrophobic (water-repelling) substance that can help regulate sebum production in skincare.
This product is free of oils 🎉
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fungal-acne safe
Malassezia Safe
Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis is a skin condition with acne-like breakouts caused by malassezia, a type of yeast.
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
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reef-safe
Reef Safe
Many factors affect if a product is reef safe, including the particle size of ingredients. We do our best to ensure our data is accurate, so please get in touch if you spot an error.
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
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eu-allergen-free
Eu Allergen Free
A list of the most-known allergic substances from the European Union’s Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
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vegan
Non Vegan
Vegan products are formulated without animal products including honey, dairy, eggs, and more.
This product is not vegan 😥
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cruelty-free
Not Cruelty Free
Cruelty-Free is a label that certifies a brand is not testing products on animals.
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
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alcohol-free
Alcohol Free
Some harsh forms of alcohol can break down your skin's natural barrier with prolonged use.
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Got it!
silicon-free
Silicon Free
Silicones are a colorless substance derived from the silicon mineral used to help boost the appearance and feel of a product.
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Got it!
fragrance-free
Fragrance Free
Fragrances are the ingredients in your skincare that either neutralize bad scents or are used to make a product smell good. Fragrances come in 3 forms: synthetic, natural, or essential oils.
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Got it!
sulfate-free
Sulfate Free
Sulfates are a type of salt mainly used as cleaning agents in skincare.
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Got it!
paraben-free
Paraben Free
Parabens are a type of preservative to preserve shelf-life and prevent growth of bacteria in products.
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Got it!
oil-free
Oil Free
Oil is a hydrophobic (water-repelling) substance that can help regulate sebum production in skincare.
This product is free of oils 🎉
Got it!
fungal-acne safe
Not Malassezia Safe
Malassezia (Pityrosporum) folliculitis is a skin condition with acne-like breakouts caused by malassezia, a type of yeast.
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
- Polysorbate 20
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reef-safe
Reef Safe
Many factors affect if a product is reef safe, including the particle size of ingredients. We do our best to ensure our data is accurate, so please get in touch if you spot an error.
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Got it!
eu-allergen-free
Eu Allergen Free
A list of the most-known allergic substances from the European Union’s Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Got it!
vegan
Non Vegan
Vegan products are formulated without animal products including honey, dairy, eggs, and more.
This product is not vegan 😥
Got it!
cruelty-free
Cruelty Free
Cruelty-Free is a label that certifies a brand is not testing products on animals.
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Got it!
Community Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment 7 ingredients
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant 13 ingredients
29% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
57% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
23% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
8% are disliked or very disliked
62% have no rating yet
Notable Ingredients
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant
We haven't identified any notable benefits with this product. This doesn't mean that the product is not good - we suggest doing further research.