Mediheal Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Gel Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser

Mediheal Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Gel Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser

This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Coco-Betaine

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Chloride

Centella Asiatica Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate

Melilotus Officinalis Extract

Tromethamine

Asiaticoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiatic Acid

Gluconolactone

Xylitol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Anhydroxylitol

Glucose

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cutibacterium Granulosum Ferment Extract Filtrate

Xylitylglucoside

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Water, Coco-Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Tromethamine, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Gluconolactone, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Glucose, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cutibacterium Granulosum Ferment Extract Filtrate, Xylitylglucoside, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate

Cellulose Gum

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Inulin

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Phytate

Cellulose

Fructose

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Cellulose Gum, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Inulin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, 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.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.

Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.

It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.

Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.

Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.

In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.

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.

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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