Neutrogena Hydro Boost Express Hydrating Spray Versus Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Express Hydrating Spray Versus Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin

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

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Ceramide NP to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Isopropyl Palmitate

Petrolatum

Dimethicone

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polysorbate 60

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

C14-22 Alcohols

Isohexadecane

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Tocopherol

Chlorphenesin

Parfum

Benzyl Alcohol

Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Isohexadecane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate

Tridecyl Trimellitate

Phenyl Trimethicone

Ceramide NP

Cholesterol

Squalane

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Whey Protein

Tridecyl Stearate

Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Myristyl Myristate

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cetearyl Glucoside

Cetyl Alcohol

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Aminomethyl Propanol

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Squalane, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Whey Protein, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Myristyl Myristate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid

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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.

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

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.

Petrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.

This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.

Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.

The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.

Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.

Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.

It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.

Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.

Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.

In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.

Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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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