The fight against acne can literally be a never-ending battle. The endless cycle of treatment, calmness and then a flare up of irritation once again. It is an ongoing war that I, as a millennial, continue to face. But there is one product that I could always turn to for help: Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. This genius formulation has been around for years and Gen Z-ers and newbie beauty lovers are just now discovering its magical powers, making it go viral on social media beauty channels. In 2021, TikTok user @amelia0livia was all over this product claiming it gave her the look of a glowy filter without the actual use of a filter. Fellow beauty TikTok users @whatsonvisface and @skincarebyhyram have also sang their praises for the exfoliating toner. Any product with claims that big, it's no surprise everyone wanted to get their hands on it. Especially if it was recommended by our favorite TikTok beauty gurus.

What is it good for?

The Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is a gentle leave-on toner, formulated with salicylic acid to unclog pores, smooth out wrinkles and sloth away dead skin to brighten and even out the skin tone. Anti-aging and soothing properties of green tea leaf extract can also be found in the toner to help balance out the active ingredients. The lightweight texture quickly absorbs into the skin and is gentle enough to be used daily. However, it is recommended for users to follow the directions and slowly build up to daily use as the skin builds tolerance to the product. It's great for clearing out gunk in the pores, reducing the appearance of those pores and removing blackheads. This simple, no-frills formula contains no alcohol, a balanced pH level and has been giving users immediate results for over 22 years since its launch in the beauty world.

Learn more Paula’s Choice

An international best seller, this toner has a world-wide cult following among beauty lovers and dermatologists alike. Paula’s Choice, which was founded by Paula Begoun in 1995, was one of the first online beauty retailers to really push a science-based, clean ingredient, skin care brand. The website is even equipped with an ever-growing directory of each new skin care ingredient explaining what it does and where it comes from. As the beauty market has become more saturated with products and “the next best thing”, consumers are growing more interested in what they are putting on their bodies, how it will benefit them and where these ingredients are sourced from. The era of the informed consumer has pushed the industry into a new type of competitive marketplace. One where consumers want technologically advanced, clean and effective products. And it’s clear, this product has continued to withstand the test of time.

Why is it popular again on TikTok?

So why has this decade old product suddenly resurfaced to the top of our TikTok feeds? Because it works. Because it's simple. And because it doesn’t leave our skin more irritated than what we started with, despite containing a formulation of a robust exfoliating acid. With all the unpredictable factors in today’s society, many millennials and Gen Z-ers just want to be able to rely on one thing they can control. Their acne!

As a person who suffers from recurring acne, anytime I need a sure fire reset to my face, I turn to this Paula’s Choice BHA liquid toner. It seriously works every time.