Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Versus Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask

Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Versus Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask

This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Chondrus Crispus Extract and Ganoderma Lucidum Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Squalane

Propanediol

Niacinamide

Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters

Coconut Alkanes

Cocos Nucifera Water

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Glycerin

Mannitol

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter

Sodium PCA

Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Sorbitol

Quercetin

Trehalose

Zea Mays Oil

Cetyl Alcohol

Sucrose

Creatine

Inositol

Pentylene Glycol

Ferulic Acid

Hydroxytyrosol

Behenic Acid

Linoleic Acid

Cholesterol

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide AP

Ceramide Eos

Ceramide NP

Ceramide EOP

Phospholipids

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Magnesium PCA

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Adenosine

Sodium Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Ceteareth-25

Citric Acid

Glyceryl Caprylate

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Benzoate

Tocopherol

Chlorphenesin

Potassium Sorbate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Squalane, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Olive Oil Glycereth-8 Esters, Coconut Alkanes, Cocos Nucifera Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Mannitol, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter, Sodium PCA, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Quercetin, Trehalose, Zea Mays Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose, Creatine, Inositol, Pentylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid, Hydroxytyrosol, Behenic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Magnesium PCA, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ceteareth-25, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin

Butylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract

Ganoderma Lucidum Extract

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Pentapeptide-59

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract

Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide

Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract

Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract

Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract

Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract

Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Betula Alba Juice

Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate

Lauroyl Lysine

Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentapeptide-59, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Betula Alba Juice, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Lauroyl Lysine, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate

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.

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.

This ingredient is also known as flaxseed oil or linseed oil. It is created by cold-pressing the seeds of the flax plant and is rich in fatty acids.

This oil is packed with omega-3 (ALA), omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids that closely mimic the skin's own natural lipid barrier. The high omega-3 content gives it solid anti-inflammatory properties.

Clinical studies have found it can reduce water loss and improve smoothness/hydration, particularly in sensitive skin types. Studies also suggest it helps maintain the lipid layer that is compromised in atopic (eczema-prone) skin.

Wound healing studies showed that low-concentration linseed oil formulations (1-5%) produced significant barrier repair, but it should be noted that high concentrations showed diminishing returns.

Due to the rich fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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.

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