Skin science article
AcneVit acnatac Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
AcneVit acnatac Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side
AcneVit acnatac Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%
Tretinoin 0.025%
Glycerin
Carbomer
Tromethamine
Propylparaben
Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate
Polysorbate 80
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BHT
Water
Clindamycin Phosphate 1.2%, Tretinoin 0.025%, Glycerin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Propylparaben, Methyl Dihydroxybenzoate, Polysorbate 80, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, BHT, Water
Azelaic Acid
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Dimethicone
Salicylic Acid
Adenosine
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Allantoin
Bisabolol
Cyclopentasiloxane
Xanthan Gum
Sclerotium Gum
Propanediol
Butylene Glycol
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!