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Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. What's inside Key Ingredients No key ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-b

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No 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

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Glycine Soja Oil

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Polysorbate 80

Laureth-4

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Beta-Glucan

Paraffinum Liquidum

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Butylene Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Hydroxide

Hexylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycine Soja Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 80, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Beta-Glucan, Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

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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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

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

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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. 03Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
  4. 04Its main roles are:
  5. 05Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
  6. 06The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
  7. 07This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
  8. 08Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  9. 09Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
  10. 10However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  11. 11Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
  12. 12In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
  13. 13While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
  14. 14Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
  15. 15Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.
  16. 16However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's…
  17. 17Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  18. 18The 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 …
  19. 19Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  20. 20Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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