Suganda BHA Serum Review (Salicylic Acid)
Written by: Swati on:
The first chemical exfoliant I used was salicylic acid 7 years ago and after using it for many years in a wash off form I wanted to step it up and use a leave on BHA since my skin is now accustomed to it.
While on the hunt for a leave on salicylic acid treatment, I came across the Suganda BHA Exfoliating Serum. The brand had rave reviews in the Indian skincare community and I thought of give this serum a go along with their White Lotus Moisturizer - which is reviewed HERE.
I used this BHA for a little over 2 months and here are my thoughts :
"A gentle exfoliating serum made with 2% Salicylic Acid, Centella and Green Tea. Salicylic Acid not only exfoliates dead skin cells on the outer surface of the skin like AHA but also easily penetrates the pores thus helps in unclogging the existing blocked pores. Salicylic Acid is also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory Centella and Green Tea are very calming. ph of the product is 4."
Ingredients : Salicylic Acid 2%, Water,Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan , Disodium EDTA
I have already spoken about Chemical Exfoliation in a lot of detail HERE, so please make sure you read this post if you are new to AHAs & BHAs.
In a quick summary - BHAs are oil soluble & therefore penetrate deeper. They are anti-bacterial & best suited for people with oily-combination skin and for those who have concerns like, blackheads & whiteheads (aka comedones), breakouts, acne and help in refining/minimizing larger pores.
Ideally you can use a leave on BHA treatment like this 1-2 times a week. I prefer using them maybe once in 10 days or only use them on my problem areas or as a spot treatment on any active breakouts or comedones. My frequency of use depends a lot on my skin condition & how it is looking & feeling. It is extremely important to make sure that you do not go overboard with any form of chemical exfoliation. So take things slow.
What I liked :
- Ingredient list
- They have listed a lot of information on how to use it & what to keep in mind while using it on their website.
- Amber coloured glass bottle (which doesn't let the formula get exposed to light) with a dropper mechanism is efficient in regulating the amount you take out.
- Thin liquid consistency which doesn't feel heavy on the skin.
- Easy to layer moisturizer over it.
What I did not like :
- I personally did not like the smell of this. It is a little bit strong but thankfully it does not linger for long
- I used this for a little over 2 months and while it did not break me out or cause any purging (I am so thankful that it did not for me because I know that it broke out some people), I daresay that it did not do anything for me. I couldn't see any difference on my congestion or comedones. It did not do anything for my pores
- I even used it many times as a spot treatment on active breakouts and it had no effect on them.
- It made the areas I was using it on drier. Salicylic acid can sometimes do that, but there are formulas which prevent it too.
Price : 699 INR for 20ml ( Available here )
I strongly advise you to do a patch test for a few days before using the product all over.
It was a meh product for me overall. I expected it to perform better but unfortunately it did not do much for me and it wasn't what I was hoping for. Having tried 2 products from Suganda and both not working for me has put me off the brand a little. However, I have read some positive reviews on it , so maybe it could work for you?
That being said - I would totally recommend you to check out the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant if you are looking to incorporate a BHA in your routine. I switched to it after 2 months & there has been no looking back. It is fantastic & is one of the best BHAs available in the market today. Full review of the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Exfoliant HERE.
You might say that the Paula's Choice is expensive compared to this but let's do the math :
- per ml of Suganda = 34.95 INR (@699 Rs for 20ml)
- per ml of Paulas choice = 30 INR (@900 Rs for 30ml)
So, this works out to be more expensive than the Paula's choice BHA & from my experience the Paula's Choice one has a better & far superior formulation.
If you are a beginner and want a wash off BHA/salicylic acid in a face wash/cleanser form, I have had good experience with the Cipla Saslic Facewash which comes both 1% & 2% concentration. Full review HERE.
I hope you found this review helpful and if you have any questions, please drop them in the comments below or reach out to me on Instagram and I would be happy to answer them.
xoxo,
Swati
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