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Skin science article

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin. What's inside Key

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser

This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.

This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Panthenol

Niacinamide

Pantolactone

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate

Sodium Benzoate

Citric Acid

Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Pantolactone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid

Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate

Cellulose Gum

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Inulin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Phytate

Cellulose

Fructose

Glucose

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Cellulose Gum, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Inulin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, 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!

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.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
  4. 04Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
  5. 05Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
  6. 06It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
  7. 07Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
  8. 08This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
  9. 09Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
  10. 10Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
  11. 11Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  12. 12Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  13. 13Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
  14. 14Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  15. 15Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  16. 16Your 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.
  17. 17Aquaporin-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.
  18. 18This 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.
  19. 19Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  20. 20Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Paula's Choice The Unscrub

Paula's Choice The Unscrub Paula's Choice The Unscrub ingredients explained: Aqua (Water), Jojoba Esters (Cleansing Beads), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Skin-Replenishing), Glycerin (Skin …

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

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