Neogen Day-Light Protection Airy Sunscreen SPF 50 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30

Neogen Day-Light Protection Airy Sunscreen SPF 50 Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Avena Sativa Kernel Extract and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Octocrylene

Homosalate

Isododecane

Dipropylene Glycol

Silica

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

1,2-Hexanediol

Octyldodeceth-16

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Coptis Japonica Extract

Butylene Glycol

Xanthan Gum

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil

Citrus Aurantifolia Oil

Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil

Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil

Maltodextrin

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract

Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Glycerin

Rosa Damascena Extract

Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract

Adansonia Digitata Leaf Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Phellinus Linteus Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract

Beta-Glucan

Water, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Isododecane, Dipropylene Glycol, Silica, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octyldodeceth-16, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coptis Japonica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil, Maltodextrin, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Extract, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Beta-Glucan

Titanium Dioxide 3.85%

Zinc Oxide 3.12%

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Isononyl Isononanoate

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Pentylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Glycine Soja Sterols

Vp/Eicosene Copolymer

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Allantoin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Superoxide Dismutase

Ubiquinone

Ceramide Ng

Methicone

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Tribehenin

PEG-10 Phytosterol

Sorbitan Stearate

Polyhydroxystearic Acid

Alumina

Polysorbate 20

Aluminum Stearate

Caprylyl Glycol

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Titanium Dioxide 3.85%, Zinc Oxide 3.12%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycine Soja Sterols, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Superoxide Dismutase, Ubiquinone, Ceramide Ng, Methicone, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tribehenin, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Alumina, Polysorbate 20, Aluminum Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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