Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque Versus Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque Versus Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask

This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Squalane and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

This wash off mask is made with Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Oenothera Biennis Oil for a rinse-off hydration boost.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Squalane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Triethanolamine

Carbomer

Urea

Dimethicone

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract

Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Chlorphenesin

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Disodium EDTA

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Urea, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Chlorphenesin, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Butylene Glycol

Sorbitan Stearate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ethyl Macadamiate

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclohexasiloxane

Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Prunus Armeniaca Fruit

Glycine Soja Sterols

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tocopherol

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Sodium Hyaluronate

Retinyl Palmitate

Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine

Cetearyl Glucoside

Sclerotium Gum

Hectorite

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Hectorite, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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!

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