Skin science article
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Serum
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Linoleic Acid a
Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Linoleic Acid and Linolenic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Glycerin
Isononyl Isononanoate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Pentylene Glycol
PPG-3 Myristyl Ether
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Butylene Glycol
Parfum
Phenoxyethanol
Propanediol
Tromethamine
Silybum Marianum Seed Oil
Carbomer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Escin
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Ethylhexylglycerin
Squalane
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Xanthan Gum
Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables
Caramel
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid
Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Maltodextrin
Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract
Potassium Sorbate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Jania Rubens Extract
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Citrate
Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract
CI 14700
Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Water, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-3 Myristyl Ether, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Silybum Marianum Seed Oil, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Escin, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables, Caramel, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin, Orthosiphon Stamineus Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Mangifera Indica Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Jania Rubens Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Engelhardtia Chrysolepis Leaf Extract, CI 14700, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Diheptyl Succinate
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Linoleic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Ceramide EOP
Ceramide Eos
Ceramide NP
Ceramide Ns
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Sodium Hyaluronate
Cholesterol
Ceramide AP
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Prunus Domestica Seed Oil
Lauryl Laurate
Glyceryl Behenate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Sodium Phytate
Trehalose
Isohexadecane
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Agar
Glyceryl Stearate
Ceteareth-25
Cetearyl Alcohol
Behenic Acid
Glyceryl Rosinate
Benzyl Alcohol
Water, Glycerin, Diheptyl Succinate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Glyceryl Behenate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Trehalose, Isohexadecane, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Agar, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-25, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Glyceryl Rosinate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, 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.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like 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.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due 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.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most 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.
Rosacea 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.
However, 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 skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.
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.
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.