La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum Versus Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Dermallergo Serum Versus Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dipropylene Glycol

Glycerin

Betaine

Propanediol

Pentylene Glycol

PEG-8

Polysorbate 20

PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-8, Polysorbate 20, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids

Ceramide NP

Ethylhexylglycerin

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Ceramide AP

Cholesterol

Phytosphingosine

Beta-Glucan

Sarcosine

Carbomer

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract

Sea Whip Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ceramide EOP

Magnesium Aspartate

Potassium Aspartate

Ubiquinone

Phenoxyethanol

1,2-Hexanediol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Calcium Chloride

Propylene Glycol

Tocopherol

Sodium Metabisulfite

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Beta-Glucan, Sarcosine, Carbomer, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide EOP, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Ubiquinone, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Calcium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

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.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

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