EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

EltaMD, Inc PM Therapy Facial Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethylhexyl Isononanoate

Niacinamide

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Glycerin

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Glycereth-26

C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters

Isomerized Safflower Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea

Xanthan Gum

Cetearyl Glucoside

Tocopheryl Acetate

Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Oleic Acid

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Disodium EDTA

Thioctic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Bisulfite

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Water, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Isomerized Safflower Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Oleic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Disodium EDTA, Thioctic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Bisulfite, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Cocoglycerides

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Squalane

Sodium Polyacrylate

Lecithin

Adenosine

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Ceramide NP

Retinol

Punica Granatum Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Glycine Soja Oil

Propylene Glycol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lecithin, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Retinol, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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