Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
95 facts in comparison
Based on 188 Reddit opinions. Liquid ExfoliantPaula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant leads by 12 points.
188 opinions
Liquid Exfoliant leads by 12pts
VS
Reddit's Pick
77%
B
Based on
242 Redditors
Winner
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.
Check pricesVS
65%
C+
Based on
167 Redditors
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
~$4.62
82 opinions
tldr; Reddit has mixed feelings about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, praising its effectiveness for dark spots but noting it can cause breakouts for many users.
Check prices✓EFF
✋SKI
❤️GEN
💨FRA
⭐VAL
72
Points
64
Points
Score by Category
Effectiveness
80%65%
Skin Feel
50%0%
Gentleness
83%40%
Fragrance
0%50%
Value
75%100%
Why is + Zinc 1% better than BHA Liquid Exfoliant?
- Better value (100% vs 75%)
- Helps with dark spots.
- Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.
- Some people are sensitive to niacinamide.
Based on 409 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner
Reddit prefers the Liquid ExfoliantPaula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Winning by 12 points (77% vs 65%)
Better gentleness
Better effectiveness
Gold standard for blackheads
High confidence (409 mentions)
💬Reddit Sentiment
Based on 409 Reddit mentionsOverall Rating
Liquid Exfoliant
7.7/10
242 mentions
Zinc 1%
6.5/10
167 mentions
SKIN FEEL
Liquid Exfoliant5.0/10
Zinc 1%0.0/10
GENTLENESS
Liquid Exfoliant8.3/10
Zinc 1%4.0/10
FRAGRANCE
Liquid Exfoliant0.0/10
Zinc 1%5.0/10
EFFECTIVENESS
Liquid Exfoliant8.0/10
Zinc 1%6.5/10
VALUE
Liquid Exfoliant7.5/10
Zinc 1%10.0/10
⚔️
Head to Head
| Topic | Liquid Exfoliant | Zinc 1% |
|---|---|---|
Skin Feel | 50% | 0% |
Gentleness | 83% | 40% |
Fragrance | 0% | 50% |
Effectiveness | 80% | 65% |
Value | 75% | 100% |
Category Wins
Liquid Exfoliant: 3|Zinc 1%: 2
Head to Head
Liquid Exfoliant: 3|Zinc 1%: 2
Skin FeelLiquid Exfoliant
Liquid Exfoliant50%
Zinc 1%0%
GentlenessLiquid Exfoliant
Liquid Exfoliant83%
Zinc 1%40%
FragranceZinc 1%
Liquid Exfoliant0%
Zinc 1%50%
EffectivenessLiquid Exfoliant
Liquid Exfoliant80%
Zinc 1%65%
ValueZinc 1%
Liquid Exfoliant75%
Zinc 1%100%
Liquid Exfoliant
77%
65%
Zinc 1%
Liquid Exfoliant77%
Zinc 1%65%
Liquid Exfoliant wins by 12 points
Key Specs
| Spec | Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant | The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% |
|---|---|---|
| Active Ingredient | 2% Salicylic Acid (BHA) | — |
| Key Supporting Ingredient | Green Tea Extract | — |
| Skin Type | Normal, Oily, Combination | — |
| Texture | Lightweight liquid | — |
| PH Level | 3.5 | — |
Key Highlights
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantWinner
Gold standard for blackheads
Clears pores effectively
One bottle lasts months
Worth the price investment
Gentle 2% salicylic acid
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
🌙 Helps with dark spots.
🎯 Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.
⚠ Some people are sensitive to niacinamide.
⚠ users experience breakouts from this specific
Topic Battles
Liquid Exfoliant: 3|Tied: 0|Zinc 1%: 2
✓Effectiveness
Liquid Exfoliant winsLiquid Exfoliant
80%
Zinc 1%
65%
✋Skin Feel
Liquid Exfoliant winsLiquid Exfoliant
50%
Zinc 1%
0%
❤️Gentleness
Liquid Exfoliant winsLiquid Exfoliant
83%
Zinc 1%
40%
💨Fragrance
Zinc 1% winsLiquid Exfoliant
0%
Zinc 1%
50%
⭐Value
Zinc 1% winsLiquid Exfoliant
75%
Zinc 1%
100%
Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories
📈Where They Rank
💬What Redditors Actually Say
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
ViewTop 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
View3 more quotes available below
What Redditors Say
Best praise vs top criticism for The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Best Praise
+11 pts“If sunscreen blocked heat, I would cover myself from head to toe every day in the summer.”
r/SkincareAddiction
ViewTop Criticism
+3 pts“When I tried the Ordinary niacinamide it broke me out so bad and then overall products with niacinamide did the same. It took some time for me to realise that it was in fact the niacinamide since it has been hyped so much… you could try cutting it out for a week to see if you’ll have any improvements !! I wish you the best of luck”
r/SkincareAddiction
View3 more quotes available below
Sentiment Over Time
Liquid Exfoliant
Zinc 1%
📈Historical Price Data
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
All-time low: $20.3(2025-11)
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
All-time low: $4.62(2026-04)
$1 below 90-day avg
Which is Better?
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Wins
77%
Exfoliant
vs
65%
1%
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant leads by 12 points based on 409 Reddit opinions.
Why Liquid ExfoliantWinner
- Gold standard for blackheads
- Clears pores effectively
- One bottle lasts months
- More discussed (242 vs 167)
Why Zinc 1%
- Better Value for Money (100% vs 75%)
❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown
Sentiment Breakdown
34%Positive
Positive
34%Neutral
56%Negative
10%Based on 242 Reddit opinions
Sentiment Breakdown
30%Positive
Positive
30%Neutral
51%Negative
19%Based on 167 Reddit opinions
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid ExfoliantCheck prices The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%Check prices
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant or The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
Based on 409 Reddit comments, Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant is the preferred choice with 77% positive sentiment vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%'s 65%. Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant leads by 12 percentage points.
Should I buy Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant or The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant has stronger approval ratings (77% vs 65%). However, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
What do Redditors love 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's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%?
Reddit users highlight: Helps with dark spots.. Can help w/ visible pores & hyperpigmentation.. Some people are sensitive to niacinamide.. With 167 mentions and 65% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 409 Reddit comments: 242 about Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant and 167 about The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. 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.
188 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/7/2026