Skin science article
Good Molecules 10% Azelaic Acid Treatment Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
Good Molecules 10% Azelaic Acid Treatment Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Bisabolol to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots. This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic
Good Molecules 10% Azelaic Acid Treatment Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Bisabolol to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.
This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride
Azelaic Acid
Sorbitan Laurate
C18-20 Glycol Isostearate
Pentylene Glycol
Glycerin
Glycol Distearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Butylene Glycol
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Arginine
Bisabolol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Centella Asiatica Leaf Vesicles
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Tocopherol
Water, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride, Azelaic Acid, Sorbitan Laurate, C18-20 Glycol Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Arginine, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Vesicles, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Tocopherol
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Dimethicone
Salicylic Acid
Adenosine
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Allantoin
Cyclopentasiloxane
Xanthan Gum
Sclerotium Gum
Propanediol
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
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.
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!