Paula's Choice 0.5% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Exfoliators

Safety score

Pregnancy-focused assessment

Low Risk79/100

Higher concernLower concern

One or more ingredients have a low-risk flag in MamaSkin's current assessment. Review the notes and your own circumstances.

Formula and assessment check

Ingredient safety review updated 23 November 2025. Product formulas can change, so compare the ingredients shown here with the packaging you have.

Report a formula mismatch

Ingredient breakdown

See how the listed formula falls across MamaSkin's pregnancy-focused risk bands.

No known risks

Low risk

Medium risk

High risk

Ingredients

Ingredients with a higher risk flag appear first, followed by the rest of the formula.

Salicylic Acid 0.5%

Low Risk

Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid used for exfoliation and as a preservative. Exposure depends on concentration, product category, treated area, frequency, skin condition and inhalation or oral potential. Current SCCS assessments support specified cosmetic uses and restrictions; ordinary limited-area low-strength topical use is not equivalent to a professional peel, large-area leave-on treatment or oral salicylate exposure. MamaSkin retains Low Risk with those route and exposure qualifications.

Sources: SCCS/1646/22: Final Opinion on Salicylic Acid https://health.ec.europa.eu/latest-updates/sccs-final-opinion-salicylic-acid-2023-06-09_en; SCCS follow-up on children's exposure https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/sccs-opinion-salicylic-acid-cas-no-69-72-7-ec-no-200-712-3-childrens-exposure_en

Water

No Known Risks

Methylpropanediol

No Known Risks

Solvent and humectant used to improve texture and ingredient delivery in topical cosmetic formulas. Reviewed cosmetic ingredient references do not identify a pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific concern for normal topical use.

Sources: CIR cosmetic ingredient safety references for alkane diols; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Show all (8)

Butylene Glycol

No Known Risks

Solvent and humectant commonly used in leave-on products. Not associated with pregnancy-specific concerns at cosmetic exposure levels.

Sources: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US); Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (EU)

Polysorbate 20

No Known Risks

Nonionic surfactant and solubiliser used to disperse oils and fragrance. Reviewed cosmetic safety sources support normal topical use, with no pregnancy- or breastfeeding-specific topical signal identified in the material reviewed.

Sources: CIR: Safety Assessment of Polysorbates as Used in Cosmetics; EU CosIng / cosmetics regulatory inventory

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

No Known Risks

A botanical extract, juice or water used primarily for skin conditioning, moisturising, soothing or antioxidant support. Direct pregnancy studies of the named cosmetic material were not identified. No reproductive or developmental hazard was identified for normal topical exposure to a compliant finished cosmetic; oral herbal or medicinal use is outside this classification.

Sources: European Commission CosIng ingredient inventory; Cosmetic Ingredient Review botanical safety-assessment framework and relevant plant-family assessments. No ingredient-specific human pregnancy study of normal topical cosmetic use was identified.

Sodium Hydroxide

No Known Risks

pH adjuster used in very small quantities to balance formulations. Not associated with pregnancy-specific concerns.

Sources: Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (EU); European cosmetics regulatory framework

Tetrasodium EDTA

No Known Risks

Chelating agent used to stabilise formulations; minimal dermal absorption and no known pregnancy or breastfeeding risks at typical cosmetic concentrations.

Sources: CIR; EU/UK Cosmetics Regulation

Formulations can change without notice. For the most accurate result, compare this list with your packaging and scan the exact ingredient label in MamaSkin when you repurchase.

How to use this assessment

The risk band is the primary conclusion. The score adds detail within that band and should not be used to compare products as if a one-point difference were clinically meaningful.

MamaSkin provides pregnancy-focused information, not medical advice. Your midwife, GP, pharmacist or dermatologist should take priority when your circumstances differ from typical cosmetic use.

Read the full methodology