FaceTheory Amil-C Whip M5 Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

FaceTheory Amil-C Whip M5 Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and refine the look of pores.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Tetrapeptide-30 to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

C15-19 Alkane

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate

Hydroxystearic Acid

Rosa Canina Seed Oil

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Glycerin

Sodium Anisate

Sodium Levulinate

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Corn Starch Modified

Glyceryl Caprylate

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Gellan Gum

Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate

Sodium Phytate

Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed 0.226%

Water, Niacinamide, C15-19 Alkane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Hydroxystearic Acid, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Corn Starch Modified, Glyceryl Caprylate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Gellan Gum, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed 0.226%

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Zinc Oxide

Titanium Dioxide

Isononyl Isononanoate

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Tetrapeptide-30

Linoleic Acid

Resveratrol

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Bisabolol

Phospholipids

Lecithin

Glycine Soja Sterols

Xanthophylls

Pullulan

Sodium Gluconate

Xanthan Gum

Sclerotium Gum

Alumina

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Citric Acid

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Acrylates Copolymer

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyacrylamide

Ceteareth-20

Aluminum Stearate

Laureth-7

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tetrapeptide-30, Linoleic Acid, Resveratrol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Xanthophylls, Pullulan, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylates Copolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Stearate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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!

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