La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 vs Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

91 facts in comparison

Based on 340 Reddit opinions. Too close to call.

340 opinions
Baume B5
Reddit's Pick
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
77%
B
Based on
490 Redditors
Winner

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

~$18.99
234 opinions

tldr; Reddit highly recommends La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 as a soothing and healing balm for irritated or damaged skin, often endorsed by dermatologists.

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VS
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
77%
B
Based on
242 Redditors

Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

~$25
106 opinions

tldr; Reddit considers Paula's Choice 2% BHA the gold standard for clearing blackheads and unclogging pores, with one bottle lasting months due to efficient liquid application.

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EffectivenessIngredientsSkin FeelGentlenessFragrance
EFF
ING
SKI
❤️GEN
💨FRA
58
Points
72
Points

Score by Category

Effectiveness
79%80%
Ingredients
40%
Skin Feel
50%50%
Gentleness
70%83%
Fragrance
0%

Why is BHA Liquid Exfoliant better than Cicaplast Baume B5?

  • Better gentleness (83% vs 70%)
  • Better value (75% vs 50%)
  • Gold standard for blackheads
  • Clears pores effectively
  • One bottle lasts months
Based on 732 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Baume B5

Winning by 0 points (77% vs 77%)

Dermatologist recommended
Soothes angry/irritated skin
Helps skin heal
High confidence (732 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 732 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Baume B5
7.7/10
490 mentions
Liquid Exfoliant
7.7/10
242 mentions
EFFECTIVENESS
Baume B57.9/10
Liquid Exfoliant8.0/10
GENTLENESS
Baume B57.0/10
Liquid Exfoliant8.3/10
SKIN FEEL
Baume B55.0/10
Liquid Exfoliant5.0/10
INGREDIENTS
Baume B54.0/10
Liquid ExfoliantN/A
VALUE
Baume B55.0/10
Liquid Exfoliant7.5/10
FRAGRANCE
Baume B5N/A
Liquid Exfoliant0.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Baume B5: 1|Liquid Exfoliant: 2
Effectiveness
Baume B579%
Liquid Exfoliant80%
GentlenessLiquid Exfoliant
Baume B570%
Liquid Exfoliant83%
Skin Feel
Baume B550%
Liquid Exfoliant50%
IngredientsBaume B5
Baume B540%
Liquid ExfoliantN/A
ValueLiquid Exfoliant
Baume B550%
Liquid Exfoliant75%
Fragrance
Baume B5N/A
Liquid Exfoliant0%
Baume B577%
Liquid Exfoliant77%
Dead heat - too close to call

Key Specs

SpecLa Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Brand
La Roche-Posay
Paula's Choice
Manufacturer
La Roche-Posay
Paula's Choice
Color
White
Clear
Weight
0.002976240537 Pounds
Height
3.543307083 inches
118ml (4 fl. oz.)

Key Highlights

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5Winner
🏆 Dermatologist recommended
🎯 Soothes angry/irritated skin
🎯 Helps skin heal
🎯 Saves skin in difficult situations
💧 Good for extra dry and chapped skin
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Gold standard for blackheads
Clears pores effectively
One bottle lasts months
Worth the price investment
Gentle 2% salicylic acid

Topic Battles

Baume B5: 1|Tied: 3|Liquid Exfoliant: 1
Effectiveness
Baume B5
79%
Liquid Exfoliant
80%
Ingredients
Baume B5 wins
Baume B5
40%
Liquid Exfoliant
Skin Feel
Baume B5
50%
Liquid Exfoliant
50%
❤️Gentleness
Liquid Exfoliant wins
Baume B5
70%
Liquid Exfoliant
83%
💨Fragrance
Baume B5
Liquid Exfoliant
0%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5

Best Praise
+56 pts
Keeping things extremely simple. Clease, moisturize SPF. Only just started using the Iunik beta glucan serum (for hydration and barrier repair). Less is more. I've learned that the hard way. Cicaplast B5 is my HG. I was trying other moisturizers because I thought it wasn't enough in terms of ceramides etc and too occulsive but if it works, it works. Not cleasing in the morning. Using a compound forumla over generic gel (severe irritation) and cream (closed CCs). But the biggest difference is I'm actually listening to my skin. Taking a day or two off if I feel the slighest bit of irritation. Listening to the whispers before waiting for my skin to scream. If my skin feels tight right after cleansing - buffer that night. If my face starts feeling a little sensitive - pull back, moisturize more, take a night off. If flaking starts - increase occlusion, add a layer underneath hence the beta glucan.
r/SkincareAddiction
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Top Criticism
+14 pts
You can feel infrared radiation as heat and sunscreens don't block infrared
r/SkincareAddiction
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Best Praise
+11 pts
I ONLY get acne on my chin so I’ve been using Paula’s choice 2% bha liquid exfoliator on my chin 2-3x a week for a little over 2 months now and I’ve noticed a significant reduction in my chin skin congestion and amount of active breakouts. It hasn’t fully stopped the break outs, but my skin does look and feel a lot more smooth for the most part.
r/SkincareAddiction
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Top Criticism
+5 pts
I haaaaaated PC BHA and it was all the rage on this sub when I found it 10 years ago. BHA and slugging. And my skin got so bad I went back to the derm and got tret.
r/SkincareAddiction
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3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
$15$20$25$30Jun '25Jun '25Jul '25Jul '25Jul '25Jul '25Sep '25Oct '25Dec '25Apr '26Low: $14.24Low: $20.3Current: $18.99
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5
All-time low: $6.99(2015-09)
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
All-time low: $20.3(2025-11)

Which is Better?

Too Close to Call

Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (77% vs 77%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.

Why Baume B5
  • 🏆 Dermatologist recommended
  • 🎯 Soothes angry/irritated skin
  • 🎯 Helps skin heal
  • More discussed (490 vs 242)
Why Liquid Exfoliant
  • Better Value for Money (75% vs 50%)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

37%Positive
Positive
37%
Neutral
52%
Negative
11%
Based on 490 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

34%Positive
Positive
34%
Neutral
56%
Negative
10%
Based on 242 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 or Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant?
Based on 732 Reddit comments, both are similarly rated at 77% and 77% positive - too close to call a clear winner.
Should I buy La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 or Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant?
Both have similar approval ratings (77% vs 77%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5?
Reddit users highlight: Dermatologist recommended. Soothes angry/irritated skin. Helps skin heal. With 490 mentions and 77% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant?
Reddit users highlight: Gold standard for blackheads. Clears pores effectively. One bottle lasts months. With 242 mentions and 77% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 732 Reddit comments: 490 about La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 and 242 about Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant. Data was sourced from Skincare products community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

340 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/7/2026