Skin science article
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion Versus Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion Versus Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA What's inside Key Ingredients Benefits Concerns Ingredients Side-by-side Water Urea Glycerin Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Brassica Campestris Seed
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Urea 10% Roughness Smoothing Lotion Versus Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Urea
Glycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Pentylene Glycol
Glycine
Cetearyl Alcohol
Silica
Stearic Acid
Allantoin
Sorbitan Oleate
Sorbitan Tristearate
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Isohexadecane
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Lactate
Myristic Acid
Palmitic Acid
Mannose
Hydroxyacetophenone
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Citric Acid
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
Polysorbate 80
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Tocopherol
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Water, Urea, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Mannose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Butylene Glycol
Cetyl Alcohol
PPG-14 Butyl Ether
Salicylic Acid
Dimethicone
Tocopheryl Acetate
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Bisabolol
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclohexasiloxane
Dimethiconol
PEG-40 Stearate
Sorbitan Stearate
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Laureth-7
Disodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol, PEG-40 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 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.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
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).
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
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!