Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water and Niacinamide to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Oenothera Biennis Oil and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Propanediol

Glycerin

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Vinyldimethicone

C14-22 Alcohols

Niacinamide

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Panthenol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Butylene Glycol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Caprylyl Methicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Hydroxyacetophenone

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polyquaternium-51

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tromethamine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water

Beta-Glucan

Resveratrol

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Tocopherol

Madecassoside

Sodium DNA

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ceramide NP

Tannic Acid

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Phytate

Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Vinyldimethicone, C14-22 Alcohols, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Beta-Glucan, Resveratrol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Tocopherol, Madecassoside, Sodium DNA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Tannic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Phytate

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Glycereth-26

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Cetyl Alcohol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Cyclopentasiloxane

Stearic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Cyclohexasiloxane

Dimethicone

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Tocopheryl Linoleate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium PCA

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Saccharide Isomerate

Hydroxypropyl Guar

Allantoin

Rosa Moschata Seed Oil

Polysorbate 20

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Carbomer

Sodium Citrate

Trisodium EDTA

Batyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium EDTA, Batyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though 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.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

Similar Comparisons