KORRES Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream Versus Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer

KORRES Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream Versus Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer

This pore-care moisturizer is formulated around Lactic Acid and Salicylic Acid to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dicaprylyl Ether

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Calendula Officinalis Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Cyclodextrin

Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Glyceryl Stearate

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Lactic Acid

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Panthenol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Phytosterols

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Sodium Gluceptate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sorbitan Oleate

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Troxerutin

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Salicylic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Ether, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Cyclodextrin, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lactic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phytosterols, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Gluceptate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Troxerutin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum

Dimethicone

Squalane

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Gigartina Stellata Extract

Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate

Tridecapeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Sodium Phytate

Propanediol

Lecithin

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Cyanocobalamin

Water, Dimethicone, Squalane, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Gigartina Stellata Extract, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Tridecapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Cyanocobalamin, 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.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

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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