Mixa Hyalurogel Night Hydrating Cream-Mask Overnight Recovery Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

Mixa Hyalurogel Night Hydrating Cream-Mask Overnight Recovery Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dicaprylyl Ether

Pentylene Glycol

Propanediol

Cetyl Esters

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Jojoba Esters

Behenyl Alcohol

Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Camelina Sativa Seed Oil

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Cetyl Alcohol

Glycine Soja Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate

Isohexadecane

Phenoxyethanol

Polyglycerin-3

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Polysorbate 80

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sorbitan Oleate

Tocopherol

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Jojoba Esters, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Parfum

Ethyl Macadamiate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Triethylhexanoin

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract

Niacinamide

Tripeptide-29

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Panthenol

Sodium PCA

Adenosine

Lecithin

Arginine

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tripeptide-29, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Lecithin, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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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