Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel Versus PCA Skin ReBalance

Murad Clarifying Oil-Free Water Gel Versus PCA Skin ReBalance

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Salicylic Acid to balance excess oil and clear breakouts.

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Bisabolol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Glycerin

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Propanediol

Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer

Dimethicone

Tapioca Starch

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Salicylic Acid

Urea

Yeast Amino Acids

Trehalose

Inositol

Taurine

Betaine

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Bisabolol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lysolecithin

Sclerotium Gum

Polyisobutene

Polysilicone-11

Polydextrose

Dextrin

Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate

Pullulan

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Amylopectin

Niacinamide

Disodium EDTA

Pentylene Glycol

Serine

Butylene Glycol

PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Algin

Disodium Phosphate

Silica

Dipropylene Glycol

Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract

Decyl Glucoside

Potassium Phosphate

Lactobacillus Ferment

Caprylyl Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Limonene

Hydroxycitronellal

Parfum

CI 42090

CI 17200

Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propanediol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Tapioca Starch, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Salicylic Acid, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Polyisobutene, Polysilicone-11, Polydextrose, Dextrin, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Pullulan, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Amylopectin, Niacinamide, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Silica, Dipropylene Glycol, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Parfum, CI 42090, CI 17200

Ethylhexyl Isononanoate

Glycereth-26

Phenoxyethanol

Carbomer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Water, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Niacinamide, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Caprylyl Glycol, Bisabolol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate

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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.

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

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.

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).

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

This helper ingredient is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is created from coconut alcohol.

Surfactants help reduce surface tension while emulsifiers prevent ingredients from separating.

Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.

It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.

Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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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