Clinique For Men Face Scrub Versus Paula's Choice PC4Men Face Wash

Clinique For Men Face Scrub Versus Paula's Choice PC4Men Face Wash

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Silica and Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and balance excess oil.

This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glyceryl Stearate

Silica

Hexylene Glycol

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Disodium Oleamido Mipa-Sulfosuccinate

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Salicylic Acid

Stearamidoethyl Diethylamine

Butylene Glycol

Menthol

Trisodium Sulfosuccinate

Sodium Sulfate

Oleamide Mipa

Caramel

Methylisothiazolinone

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Oleamido Mipa-Sulfosuccinate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Salicylic Acid, Stearamidoethyl Diethylamine, Butylene Glycol, Menthol, Trisodium Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Sulfate, Oleamide Mipa, Caramel, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol

Decyl Glucoside

Glycerin

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate

Lauryl Glucoside

Xanthan Gum

Coco-Glucoside

Glucose

Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate

Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate

Glyceryl Oleate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Carrageenan

Sodium Phytate

Citric Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Glucose, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Glyceryl Oleate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carrageenan, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

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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