Three nights a week for three months on dry skin: tingles briefly, cheeks smoother, sun spots a shade lighter, no smell. Wear SPF with it.
Latest user reviews
From users, and from around the web with the source linked.
Redness from overuse calmed and came back after two weeks.
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“I’m about 2 weeks out from overuse and redness. It calmed but then came back.”
Works like a miracle on combination skin used one or two nights a week.
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“I have combination skin and this works like miracle for me.”
No difference on acne scars but improved texture, tone, clarity and glow over years.
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“Acne scars? 0 difference. Skin texture, tone, clear skin and glow? Yes.”
Popular this week
most new reviewsFades redness around old scars far more than the indent itself.
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“It fades the redness around my old scars way more than the actual indent itself, the texture stayed about the same for me”
Gentle enough for their very sensitive skin once or twice a week, unlike harsher exfoliants.
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“I really like first aid beauty’s facial radiance pads,which have a combination of low percentage glycolic (2% I think) and lactic acid that doesn’t irritate my insanely sensitive skin.”
60+ days as directed and it did nothing.
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“I was so excited to get this product and also found it did nothing?! I have been using it for 60+ days, as directed etc.”
Exfoliates with Good Genes once a week, leaving it on 15–30 minutes then washing it off; left on, their face peels.
On very dry skin, Sunday Riley Good Genes keeps their skin clear and bright.
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“I have very dry skin so I have to be careful with what I use. I really love Sunday Riley’s Good Genes — it keeps my skin clear and bright.”
Dabbed on milia for 10 minutes over three nights and they cleared; needs great care.
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“I used the ordinary aha and BHA over about three nights, a tiny bit on them for 10 mins and that got rid.”
Didn't do enough for them; switched to peel pads.
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“The TO peel just wasn’t cutting it for me, unfortunately.”
Remembers it stinging and burning their face badly.
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“sitting on my bedroom floor, face stinging and burning like hell, convincing myself it was good for me”
Used it but noticed no visible results, and suspected their bottle might not be genuine.
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“I dont think i noticed anything from TO peel either.”
Mixed with a toner it's incredible on their 51-year-old skin: no dryness, fresh skin and nearly invisible pores.
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“I actually mix it with Paula's Choice SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Leave-On Exfoliant and it's incredible.”
They've used it for about 15 years, around 60 bottles, going through four a year.
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“Sunday Riley Good Genes. Been using for 15 years ish. Probably on like my 60th bottle”
A hand-me-down bottle of Good Genes made their skin look amazing within a couple of days; it's pricey, and after buying it on and off for a while they eventually stopped noticing results.
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“it was earth shattering how amazing my skin looked in just a couple days”
They love using The Ordinary red peel in the late afternoon before an evening event to help their skin look its best.
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“I love to use the Ordinary red peel or Drunk Elephant babyfacial (similar) before an event.”
On a night off tret they layer Good Genes after a BHA and their skin loves the combination.
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“I break from tret one night and use Paula's Choice 2% bha followed by Good Genes a few minutes later. My skin loves the combination!”
Built up from 3 to 8 minutes once a week without trouble.
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“I use the ordinary peel, I started out at like 3 minutes (and am now at 8)and I only use it once a week”
Found Good Genes a bit heavy and sticky to layer, so only used it on bare skin, and is sticking with glycolic acid.
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“I found it a bit heavy/sticky for it to be layered. I’ve only tried it on bare skin.”
Names Good Genes as a long-standing holy grail product that still is one.
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“Used to be Sunday Riley lactic acid so good genes. And still is.”
Really likes it once or twice a week as a jump-start for clogged pores.
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“The ordinary has a BHA AHA serum that you do once or maybe twice a week that I really like.”
Alternates Good Genes with tretinoin at night and finds it has really helped their overall brightness and texture.
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“I alternate it with my tret at night and it's really helped with overall brightness and texture.”
Has used it off and on for ten years; it works wonders if built up slowly.
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“but it does work. It works wonders and removing the outer dead layer of your skin leaving fresh younger newer regenerated skin”
Worked wonders on pores under a clay mask, but burned their skin the first time; build up tolerance slowly.
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“First time I tried this over a decade ago I burned my entire top layer of skin off.”
Falling asleep with it on left red bumps all over their face.
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“I accidentally fell asleep wearing the ordinary aha 30% peeling solution and my face has red bumps all over it.”
Comparing glycolic toners, this user finds the INKEY 10% Glycolic Acid Toner too strong for their face and uses it only on their body.
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“At 10% this one is noticeably stronger so I only use it on my body.”
Says Good Genes genuinely works for them and their mom.
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“This isn’t an ad either. It genuinely works for me and my mom”
DDG peel pads irritated their skin, but Good Genes gives them smooth, soft, glowing skin.
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“Sunday Riley Good Genes works much better for me personally, giving me smooth, soft skin with the glow I expected from the DDG pads.”
A favourite used twice a week that clears buildup.
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“This is one of my favorite products. I try to use it twice a week. Make sure that your face is dry. I feel like it gets rid of the buildup.”
Two uses in, this user wakes up with a new whitehead each time after the Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant, unlike Paula's Choice's BHA.
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“I just started using Naturium's BHA Liquid Exfoliant, and I noticed that each time after I use it, I'll wake up with a small whitehead or pimple on a random spot on my face the next morning.”
Used the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid on sometimes-sensitive skin: very gentle, and it clearly improved pores, texture and brightness.
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“I’ve used the liquid form and it was very easy on my skin -which can be very sensitive at times. It definitely improved pores, texture and brightness.”
Their acne secret weapon for over a decade; breakouts come back when they stop. The liquid did nothing for them.
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“My personal secret weapon against acne has been Paula's Choice BHA exfoliator GEL (not the toner-like liquid, which does nothing for me).”
A couple of weeks in: no purging and less clogged pores.
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“Have been trying Paula's Choice BHA for a couple of weeks and it's good so far! I did not purge and my pores are less clogged now.”
Didn't work for them and clogged their pores even more.
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“CosRX BHA didn't work for me and caused my pores to clog even more”
Likes Good Genes Lactic Acid but finds the EU glycolic version superior.
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“I like Good Genes but being in the US the only one available is Sunday Riley Good Gene with Lactic Acid”
The Strawberry serum didn't seem to do anything for them.
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“I have tried that strawberry serum and didn't really feel like it was doing anything.”
First night shrank their closed comedones and flattened some.
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“I used it last night for the first time and woke up all my closed comedones shrunk and some have flatten out. I’m so happy I was worried it wont work since its pricey.”
Found the reformulated mask awful: it smelled terrible and left their skin feeling burned.
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“But the reformulated version is awful for me. It smells terrible and left my skin feeling burned.”
Left on overnight three days running; skin is still seriously peeling months later.
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“Left it on overnight, three days in a row... I haven't looked at the bottle in 9 months. My skin is still seriously peeling.”
Pores basically gone beside nose on cheeks and nose improved.
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“My pores are basically gone on either side of my nose on my cheeks. My nose is improved and I am really happy.”
Gets a lot of pink and red afterward if left on the full ten to twelve minutes.
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“I have similar coloring and have a lot of pink and red afterward if I leave on for the full ten to 12 min.”
After laser resurfacing it helps redness and texture with no limit on time.
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“now I can leave it as much as I want and tbh it helps a lot with redness and texture, nothing crazy as the concentration is still not that high, but pretty nice.”
One of the changes that improved their skin most.
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“double cleansing, retinol, acids, especially the bha red peeling one from the ordinary”
Used 2–3 times a week for 3–4 months; their closed comedones are nearly gone.
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“I have been using this 2-3 times a week for the past maybe 3 or 4 months, and mine are all nearly gone.”
Two hours after first use their sebaceous filaments were jumping out of their pores.
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“The sebaceous filaments were like jumping out of my pores”
A long-time holy grail for sebaceous filaments; a bottle lasts ages, though they dislike the shrinking size.
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“paula’s choice 2% bha liquid exfoliant has been a holy grail product for many of us for DECADES.”
Recommends sampling first because to them it smells like sour milk.
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“see if you can get a sample first. To me it smells like sour milk”
Rinses off after the Facial Radiance Pads to reduce irritation; they make the chest itchy.
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“If it helps, sometimes after using the FAB pad, I’ll wet a cotton round and “rinse” off”
Triggered bald spots in their eyebrows every time they retried it.
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“It made my eyebrows get bald spots and I still don't know why.”
Twice a week it leaves skin very soft and smooth, keeps their nose and face clear and removes texture.
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“I use it every three days, which works out to twice a week. My skin feels so soft and smooth, it's actually kinda ridiculous”
On their 4th or 5th bottle in six years; Good Genes gently exfoliates, plumps and leaves a glow.
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“Very gentle exfoliation (yet powerful, ironically) + plumping = smooth skin! A noticeable glow on my face after using it.”
Destroyed their skin barrier at a sensitive time.
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“This product destroyed my skin barrier at a very sensitive time for my skin.”
Three months in the purge-like breakouts never stopped.
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“I am so tried of this constant nightmare purge since starting Paula's choice 2 bha liquid exfoliant. I started using it 3 months ago and my skin is still breaking out.”
Every other day then daily; skin feels amazing and texture is gone.
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“I started using it every other day and my skin looks and feels amazing! It got rid of the texture”
Worked somewhat on tiny spots over four months but wouldn't spend that much again.
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“It worked to an ectent I guess just wouldnt spend that much money on it again”
Credits Good Genes plus vitamin C with clearly improving the sun spots on their forehead.
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“I *think* the good genes + vitamin c in the AM are the cause since the rest of my routine is really just hydration.”
After a year, sun spots are fading and melasma has almost disappeared.
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“It took a year of using it biweekly/weekly but the spots are fading and the melasma has almost disappeared.”
Using the lactic acid every other night cleared their acne so much.
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“I use the glycolic acid once a week on my scalp before I wash it & I was using the lactic acid every other night and it cleared my acne so much.”
One 10-minute use left their oily skin's texture worse, not clearer.
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“Woke up the next morning and it feels like my skin has gotten a bit worse?”
Uses sparingly on breakouts and it wipes them out fast.
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“I love this stuff! I use it very sparingly and only if I get breakouts!”
Now uses it twice a day after the pore-reducing toner and skin changed dramatically.
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“I started a few times a week but now I use it twice a day.”
Too drying for regular use; now only about once a month on oily areas.
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“I can’t use this one regularly, it dries my skin too much. I use Paula’s choice once a month now probably if I don’t forget.”
In their trio it keeps very oily, easily dehydrated skin smooth and calm without acne or irritation.
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“The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Anhydrous Solution (2 drops) Sea Buckthorn Fruit Oil (1 drop) => super smooth, soft, calm skin without acne, shine or irritation”
Disliked the tacky feel at first, but as a spot treatment it's the only thing that helps their hormonal cysts.
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“It is the only product that actually helps my hormonal cysts, immediately bought the full size.”
Used overnight, it cleared every single milium by the next morning after years; glycolic the first night did nothing.
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“Night two, I used lactic acid. I woke up the next morning and every single milia was gone.”
Five years of use and still using it.
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“I’ve used Paula’s Choice for 5 years and still do, but these peel pads are beyond anything I’ve ever used on my skin.”
Leaves it on for an hour weekly and is totally fine with it.
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“Yes, I do an hour once a week. wanted to check —am I the only one who is totally fine with it”
Called it swamp water and gets better results with Dr. Dennis Gross pads.
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“Paula’s choice is swamp water! My opinion anyway. I get far better results with Dr. Gross peel pads”
Broke out their extremely sensitive skin.
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“I have extremely sensitive skin and Paula’s choice BHA broke me out but DDG peels didn’t and improved my skin texture a lot!!”
PC clears their zits overnight.
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“I get zits and PC clears them overnights. DDG peel pads are just ok.”
Just started it and already likes it more than the DDG pads.
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“I did just start the pc exfoliant and I already like this product much better.”
Didn't remember seeing any improvement.
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“I've used PC Bha maybe 2 years back and I don't remember seeing any improvement.”
Great for acne and gentle, alongside DDG peel pads.
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“I use both. Paula’s Choice BHA is great for acne and gentle.”
Can only spot-treat pimples with it as it's too much all over.
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“I cannot use PC all over, I can only use it for spot treating pimples. DDG peel pads are way gentler imo.”
Effective but overuse gave them chemical burns.
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“Paula’s choice is definitely effective but when I used it too often I got chemical burns”
Never really did anything for them compared with peel pads.
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“Paula’s Choice never really did anything for me. I can easily see the difference with the peel pads.”
Works okay on sensitive dry acne-prone skin but purged for months.
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“I have the PC one and it works okay. I have sensitive dry AND acne prone skin with large pores.”
Daily use from the start left their skin itchy and peeling.
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“I just started using last week and used it everyday like an idiot 😂 now my skin is itchy and peeling”
Used it over a pimple and the whole area burned and went red.
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“I used it on my face and I had a pimple now the whole thing is burning and red and it's a big blot on my face”
One overnight treatment reduced their milia by about 75%.
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“I tend to get Milia from heavy moisturizers, and nothing has worked until I tried “The Ordinary.” Just one treatment overnight reduced them by 75%.”
No problems for two years, even starting at 15 minutes three times a week; still using it after three years.
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“but neither her or myself had any problems whatsoever till the 2 year mark. I still use it to this day(3years)”
Worked better than the glycolic toner for their KP.
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“I used The Ordinary Salicylic Acid anhydrous solution and that worked better than the glycolic acid for me.”
Larger closed comedones came to a head within a week, though unsure it's the product.
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“I use this once every 3 days starting 1 month ago. Within a week larger closed comedones came to head.”
Will use it forever; holy grail with tretinoin and toner at night.
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“I will use this until the day I die. The holy freaking grail.”
Felt oily and made them look shiny; the RESIST version layers better.
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“I agree with this one, the regular BHA felt on the oily side for me or made me look shiny.”
Sunday Riley Good Genes has been very effective for them, alongside the A+ serum.
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“SR Good Genes and A+ retinoid serum have been so effective for me.”
Good Genes is their holy grail and a high-end product they've repurchased for seven years.
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“Good Genes is my holy grail and one high end product I’ve repurchased for the last seven years!”
Good Genes has worked so well that it's the one product they consistently remember to use.
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“Good genes is the only skincare I consistently remember to do because it’s worked so well for me.”
Burned their under-eye area, which took a long time to fully clear.
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“I had burned my under eye area as well, a couple years ago/after your experience. It took a long time, but it’s completely gone now.”
Used it as a night serum without washing off; only noticed sun sensitivity.
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“The only thing I noticed was that my skin was very sensitive to the sun afterward”
A week in they're impressed and pores are getting clear.
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“I started using it a little over a week ago and I’m impressed by how great it’s been for my skin. I didn’t have major blackheads on my nose, but my pores are getting super clear.”
No issues and skin still improved after the first use.
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“No issues and skin still looks improved from pre-use. Haven't used it again.”
The only thing that cleared a years-old deep blackhead.
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“I have this deep black head on my forehead and i can never make it leave for YEARS the only thing that fix it is the peeling solution this thing is a miracle”
Makes their face oilier than normal, unlike other 2% BHAs.
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“I literally bought it to help REDUCE my oiliness, but whenever I wear it, my face is oilier than normal.”
Six months in and loving it, though the price hurts enough that they alternate with cheaper lactic acids.
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“I’ve been using Good Genes for 6 months and love it but the price tags hurts”