Skin science article
Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Resist Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser
Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Resist Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser This salicylic acid clay cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores. This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse w
Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Resist Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser
This salicylic acid clay cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.
This mild cream cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Kaolin
Glycerin
Alcohol Denat.
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Coco-Betaine
Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
CI 77891
Solum Diatomeae
Diatomaceous Earth
Phenoxyethanol
PEG-14m
Glycol Distearate
Sodium Benzoate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Salicylic Acid
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Tocopherol
Sodium Hydroxide
Allantoin
Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, CI 77891, Solum Diatomeae, Diatomaceous Earth, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-14m, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salicylic Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Decyl Glucoside
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether
Methyl Gluceth-20
Glyceryl Stearate
Stearyl Alcohol
Polyacrylamide
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Laureth-7
Xanthan Gum
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Hexylene Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose Ether, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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.
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.
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!