Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Norse Organics Acne & Redness Killer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Norse Organics Acne & Redness Killer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant This calming moisturizer is formulated around Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Calendula Officinalis Extract to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots. This

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Norse Organics Acne & Redness Killer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Calendula Officinalis Extract to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Calendula Officinalis Callus Extract

Beeswax

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Calendula Officinalis Extract

Carthamus Tinctorius Bud Extract

Rosa Canina Fruit Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Beta-Carotene

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Callus Extract, Beeswax, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Bud Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Beta-Carotene

Water

Methylpropanediol

Butylene Glycol

Salicylic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Camellia Oleifera Leaf

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Oleifera Leaf, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA

Reviews

Alternatives

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
  11. 11It 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.
  12. 12On 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.
  13. 13Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
  14. 14You'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.
  15. 15Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
  16. 16Safety-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.
  17. 17Adverse 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.
  18. 18Sodium 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.
  19. 19In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
  20. 20Your 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.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles