CeraVe Eye Repair Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream

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

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Cetyl Alcohol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Propanediol

Isononyl Isononanoate

Jojoba Esters

PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Potassium Sorbate

Ceramide EOP

Sorbitol

Carbomer

Zinc Citrate

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Triethanolamine

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hydroxide

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cholesterol

Phenoxyethanol

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Tocopherol

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Laureth-4

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Tetrasodium EDTA

Maltodextrin

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

Butylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract

Water, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Jojoba Esters, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Potassium Sorbate, Ceramide EOP, Sorbitol, Carbomer, Zinc Citrate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethanolamine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopherol, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Laureth-4, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract

Sodium PCA

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Sodium Polyacrylate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Glucosyl Hesperidin

Copper Gluconate

Troxerutin

Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate

Resveratrol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Phytic Acid

Beta-Glucan

Acetyl Glucosamine

Allantoin

Adenosine

Dextran

Sea Whip Extract

Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Benzyl Alcohol

Water, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Copper Gluconate, Troxerutin, Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate, Resveratrol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dextran, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Whip Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Benzyl Alcohol, 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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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!

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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