Celimax The Real Cica Soothing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

Celimax The Real Cica Soothing Cream Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Centella Asiatica Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Methylpropanediol

C13-15 Alkane

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Betaine

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Vinyldimethicone

Caprylyl Methicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Butylene Glycol

Dimethiconol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cyclohexasiloxane

Tromethamine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Sorbitan Isostearate

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract

Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract

Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate

Ceramide NP

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Tocopherol

Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, C13-15 Alkane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Vinyldimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Ceramide NP, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Tocopherol

Ethyl Macadamiate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Propanediol

Triethylhexanoin

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract

Tripeptide-29

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Panthenol

Sodium PCA

Lecithin

Arginine

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Isohexadecane

Carbomer

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tripeptide-29, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Lecithin, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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