CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer

CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Ceramide NP and Ceramide AP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Linoleic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Potassium Phosphate

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Dimethicone

Ceteareth-20

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Methylparaben

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Cholesterol

Disodium EDTA

Dipotassium Phosphate

Propylparaben

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

Polysorbate 20

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Methylparaben, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Propylparaben, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ceteareth-6 Olivate

Butylene Glycol

C13-15 Alkane

Glyceryl Stearate

Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate

Decyl Oleate

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Oleic Acid

Euterpe Oleracea Sterols

Serine

Alanine

Glycine

Proline

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Squalane

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Lecithin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Lactate

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Adenosine

Phytic Acid

Glutamic Acid

Betaine

Pullulan

PCA

Sodium PCA

Sodium Polyacrylate Starch

Sclerotium Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Butylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Decyl Oleate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Squalane, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lactate, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Adenosine, Phytic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Betaine, Pullulan, PCA, Sodium PCA, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, 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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.

You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.

The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.

Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.

Ceramide EOP is formally known as Ceramide 1.

It is naturally found in skin and part of the intercellular "mortar" holding everything together in your outermost layer.

EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.

What makes Ceramide EOP special is its ultra-long fatty acid chain; this unique structure allows it to bridge the lipid layers in your skin barrier to prevent water loss (something no other ceramide can do).

Low levels of Ceramide EOP have been found in people with eczema and psoriasis.

Using it together with other ceramides, cholesterol, and linoleic acid have been shown to meaningfully improve hydration and reduce water loss.

In one clinical study, a regimen using Ceramide EOP, NP, and AP led to significant symptom improvements in patients with eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin in just 4 weeks.

You'll usually see concentrations between 0.1-0.5% in formulations. Overall, this is a well-tolerated and safe ingredient for cosmetic 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.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.

Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.

Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.

Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.

More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate (SLL) is a mild, plant-derived surfactant made by combining lauric acid with lactic acid.

It has two main jobs in a formula:

A perk of this ingredient is that it leaves skin feeling soft and silky after rinsing. This is why you'll even see it in baby washes.

Another perk? The lauric acid backbone gives it mild antimicrobial activity and lauric acid itself has been shown to suppress acne-causing bacteria in lab studies.

In 2023, scientists took a close look at how SLL behaves and found it can break apart the fatty outer layers of cells. This is basically why it cleans well and can fight off certain microbes.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has reviewed it and concluded it's safe as used.

A 2017 survey showed concentrations up to 10% are used in rinse-off cleansers and roughly 0.5-5% being typical in skincare.

Animal and reconstructed-skin testing found it to be non-irritating at 10%, and it's well tolerated even on sensitive skin. The only caveat is to patch test if you have a lactic acid allergy.

As a lactylate salt used at low co-emulsifier concentrations, this ingredient is less likely to break down and release free lauric acid on skin. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.

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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