alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

alpyn beauty Pore Perfecting Liquid with 2% BHA + Borage Versus Paula's Choice C15 Super Booster

This pore-care treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Borago Officinalis Extract to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Ferulic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate

Borago Officinalis Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Benzyl Alcohol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Glycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Ascorbic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Sorbate

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Phytic Acid

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Maltodextrin

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Squalane

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Niacinamide

Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract

Rosa Damascena Flower Water

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Prunus Davidiana Extract

Beta-Sitosterol

Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Medicago Sativa Extract

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Centella Asiatica Extract

Collagen

Sorbic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Citric Acid

Water, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Borago Officinalis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Phytic Acid, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Phyllostachys Bambusoides Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Davidiana Extract, Beta-Sitosterol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Medicago Sativa Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Centella Asiatica Extract, Collagen, Sorbic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid

Dipropylene Glycol

Ethoxydiglycol

PPG-26-Buteth-26

PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Bisabolol

Ferulic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Decylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sphingomonas Ferment Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bisabolol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.

Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:

Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.

One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.

While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.

The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.

Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.

Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.

Read more about other types of Vitamin C:

Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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!

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