Paula's Choice Complexion Clarity Kit, 3 Piece Set Includes Full-Sized 2% BHA Exfoliant, 1% Retinol Treatment, Full-Sized 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, Skin Care Set for Clear, Glowing Skin

I really like the recent trends for transparent and ingredient-focused products offered by Paula’s Choice (PC), TO, NIOD, and other brands. However, with any potent active ingredient, it is necessary to have at least some basic understanding when and why the skin can benefit from this particular ingredient or not, pace of the product incorporation into the existing routine, and potential conflicts with other active ingredients.Paula’s Choice Complexion Clarity Kit is a great starting set with 3 good products. I would not suggest to use/stack all of them simultaneously, at least they should be separated by AM-PM or by days. Better to start with BHA toner, then add in several weeks azelaic acid, then retinol treatment. If you have sensitive skin, active acne, or haven’t used such products before, then using this entire product set together daily might lead to disrupted skin barrier, skin irritation and visible flaking.PC 2% BHA exfoliant -- it is a nice toner featuring 2% salicylic acid. 2% is a standard max concentration for treating moderate acne and oily skin, but for dry or sensitive skin it can be too irritating (use less amount or less frequently). Description says to use it up to 2x/day, my sensitive combination skin tolerates it like once per 2/3 days, perhaps because I regularly use AHA-based exfoliators and my upper skin layer is already thin. The key difference is that AHAs mainly work on the skin surface, whereas BHA is oil-soluble and can penetrate inside clogged pores and accelerate skin turnover here. So, for normal or dry skin, there is no need in a frequent or consistent use of BHA toner for exfoliation purposes, it is better to vary its use with other products instead. PC 10% Azelaic Acid Booster -- this product I like in this set the most. I use different products with azelaic acid to several darker spot areas on my face, as this acid is intended to target uneven skin tone and post-inflammatory acne marks by inhibiting melanin production. The PC booster appears as a cream of thick texture, only small amount is needed as I applied by small dots. The product contains silicones (attention, acne-prone skin). In general, texture feels very similar to the TO 10% azelaic acid suspension (also with silicones) like a thick silicone-based primer.PC Retinol 1% treatment -- very good retinol cream with 1% (max) retinol concentration. It has light yellow color and lighter texture than PC booster. Only small amount of product is needed (1-2 pumps), this cream spreads easily over the skin.If you never use tret or retinol at 1% concentration then it is better to stop using all actives (including this BHA toner) and to start slowly with a pea size of product for the full face using 3x (or 2x) per week in the first 2-4 weeks as initial skin retinization takes multiple weeks. Apply at PM routine only (light sensitivity of retinol). To avoid skin irritation the “sandwich” method can be recommended or at least some good moisturizer with skin barrier support ingredients 20-30 min after retinol. If you are using tret, even 0.025% is much stronger than retinol 1%, so there should not be any problem with incorporating this retinol 1% product if needed. Some prefer to use tret primarily on the face, along with retinol 1% serums on the upper chest or other parts of the body.Retinol treatment in this set is 5 ml only, just a small tester to check if you (your skin) like this particular retinol product or not. This treatment also contains dimethicone (second in the list) and other silicones, it includes peptides and vitamin C that are great actives but with retinol 1% this combo might be too strong for sensitive or reactive skin.I like that all these products are formulated without fragrances.This set provides really great tools to work with the skin and target multiple tasks, just be careful while combining with other products in the same routine. The kit provides information on recommended use.Also, as with all exfoliation and retinol products, it is very important to use good sunscreen daily, otherwise there is risk of hyperpigmentation for the freshly renewed skin.