Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propanediol

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Ethyl Olivate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Glycerin

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Glutamic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Wax

Cetyl Alcohol

Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum

Xanthan Gum

Apricot Kernel Amino Acids

Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract

Beta-Glucan

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract

Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract

Olea Europaea Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Corn Protein

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract

Rosa Damascena Flower Water

Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract

Cucumis Melo Seed Extract

Iris Florentina Root Extract

Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract

Butylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Water, Propanediol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Ethyl Olivate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glycerin, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Xanthan Gum, Apricot Kernel Amino Acids, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Seed Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol

Ethyl Macadamiate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Triethylhexanoin

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract

Niacinamide

Tripeptide-29

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Panthenol

Sodium PCA

Adenosine

Lecithin

Arginine

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Isohexadecane

Carbomer

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tripeptide-29, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Lecithin, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

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.

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.

This extract comes from the blueberry native to North America. It has great antioxidant and skin soothing properties.

The antioxidant properties from blueberries come from its polyphenolic and vitamin C content. Polyphenols are a compound famous for their antioxidant properties and are commonly found in fruits.

A 2023 study found blueberries to protect skin from UV-B related inflammation. However, this ingredient should not replace your sunscreen.

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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