La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner

La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum Versus Paula's Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner

This brightening serum is formulated around Ascorbic Acid and Salicylic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

This barrier-repair toner is formulated around Linoleic Acid and Phospholipids to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbic Acid

Cyclohexasiloxane

Glycerin

Alcohol Denat.

Potassium Hydroxide

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Polysilicone-11

Dimethicone

Propylene Glycol

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Tocopherol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Adenosine

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Poloxamer 338

Salicylic Acid

Polyacrylamide

Toluene Sulfonic Acid

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Disodium EDTA

BHT

Laureth-7

Parfum

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Potassium Hydroxide, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-11, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Adenosine, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Poloxamer 338, Salicylic Acid, Polyacrylamide, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Laureth-7, Parfum

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glycereth-26

Polysorbate 20

Dimethiconol

Linoleic Acid

Oleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Phospholipids

Carnosine

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Genistein

Sphingolipids

Ferulic Acid

Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Acetyl Glucosamine

Quercetin

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Beta Vulgaris Root Extract

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract

Lecithin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Palmitic Acid

Butylene Glycol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Laureth-23

Laureth-4

Aminomethyl Propanol

Sodium Benzoate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Polysorbate 20, Dimethiconol, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Phospholipids, Carnosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Genistein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Ferulic Acid, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Quercetin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid

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.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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.

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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