Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Essano Vitamin C Brightening SPF15 Moisturiser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Essano Vitamin C Brightening SPF15 Moisturiser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores. What's inside Key Ingredients Benefi

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Essano Vitamin C Brightening SPF15 Moisturiser Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Isoamyl Laurate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Glucoside

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Betaine

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Xanthan Gum

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Phytate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Sorbate

Butylene Glycol

Lecithin

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Octocrylene

Parfum

Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Glycerin, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Parfum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool

Methylpropanediol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

Reviews

Be the first to review

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.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
  4. 04As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
  5. 05It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
  6. 06A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
  7. 07Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  8. 08Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  9. 09Though 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.
  10. 10Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  11. 11Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  12. 12It plays several roles in a formula:
  13. 13Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
  14. 14Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
  15. 15However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
  16. 16Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
  17. 17Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
  18. 18Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
  19. 19This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
  20. 20A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

Paula's Choice C25 Super Booster

Paula's Choice C25 Super Booster Paula's Choice C25 Super Booster ingredients explained: Cyclopentasiloxane (Hydration), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C/Antioxidant), Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate (E…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles