Mario Badescu Clarifying Serum with Azelaic Acid Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

Mario Badescu Clarifying Serum with Azelaic Acid Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

This acne serum is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate and Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate to clear breakouts and calm redness.

This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Glycerin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Azelaic Acid

Inulin

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Phenoxyethanol

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract

Betaine

Polysorbate 20

Chlorphenesin

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Caprylyl Glycol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium PCA

Sodium Lactate

Sodium Sulfite

PCA

Lactic Acid

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Serine

Sodium Benzoate

Alanine

Sodium Chloride

Glycine

Polyglycerin-6

Glutamic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Threonine

Arginine

Potassium Sorbate

Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract

Hydroxyacetophenone

Proline

1,2-Hexanediol

Citric Acid

Water, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Azelaic Acid, Inulin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Sulfite, PCA, Lactic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Sodium Benzoate, Alanine, Sodium Chloride, Glycine, Polyglycerin-6, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Proline, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Dimethicone

Salicylic Acid

Adenosine

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Allantoin

Bisabolol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Xanthan Gum

Sclerotium Gum

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 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.

Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.

What makes it special?

OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.

Here's what each tier does best:

Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.

Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.

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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