La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume Light AP+M Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume Light AP+M Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Isopropyl Palmitate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Propanediol

Cetyl Alcohol

Myristyl Myristate

Zea Mays Starch

Niacinamide

Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract

Carbomer

Sodium Hydroxide

Mannose

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylyl Glycol

Vitreoscilla Ferment

Citric Acid

Maltodextrin

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Tocopherol

Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Zea Mays Starch, Niacinamide, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Mannose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Tocopherol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Adenosine

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Glucose Oxidase

Lactoperoxidase

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus

Polysilicone-11

Sodium Chloride

Potassium Thiocyanate

Glucose

Xanthan Gum

Ceteareth-20

Decyl Glucoside

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cetyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Adenosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Thiocyanate, Glucose, Xanthan Gum, Ceteareth-20, Decyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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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