Mary Kay TimeWise Pore Minimizer Versus Paula's Choice Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA

Mary Kay TimeWise Pore Minimizer Versus Paula's Choice Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA

This pore-care treatment is formulated around Polysilicone-11 and Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer to refine the look of pores and balance excess oil.

This pore-care exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Polysilicone-11

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Dipropylene Glycol

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Betaine

PPG-16

Sodium Hyaluronate

Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sea Whip Extract

Hydrolyzed Soy Flour

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Mica

Isohexadecane

Ceteareth-33

Titanium Dioxide

Decylene Glycol

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Xanthan Gum

Dimethicone

Polysorbate 80

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sorbitan Isostearate

Triethyl Citrate

Lavandula Stoechas Flower/Stem Extract

Propanediol

Cyclohexasiloxane

Sodium Benzoate

Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysilicone-11, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Betaine, PPG-16, Sodium Hyaluronate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Whip Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Mica, Isohexadecane, Ceteareth-33, Titanium Dioxide, Decylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 80, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Triethyl Citrate, Lavandula Stoechas Flower/Stem Extract, Propanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Benzoate, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Salicylic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid

Oleanolic Acid

Allantoin

Trehalose

Panthenol

PEG-60 Almond Glycerides

Sodium Metabisulfite

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Methyl Gluceth-20

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Glycereth-26

Sodium Hydroxide

Carbomer

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Trehalose, Panthenol, Glycerin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sodium Metabisulfite, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycereth-26, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

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!

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