Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II

Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Booster Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Retinol and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate to strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate

Butylene Glycol

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Polysorbate 20

Retinol

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Ceramide NP

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Arctium Lappa Seed Oil

Salix Alba Extract

Allantoin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate

Ethylhexyl Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Glyceryl Ascorbate

Disodium EDTA

Sorbic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Oil, Salix Alba Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Ascorbate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Methyl Gluceth-20

PEG-75

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Propanediol

Cola Acuminata Seed Extract

Hydrolyzed Algin

Pantethine

Caffeine

Lecithin

Tripeptide-32

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Rna

Bisabolol

Glycereth-26

Squalane

Sodium Hyaluronate

Oleth-3 Phosphate

Lactobacillus Ferment

Oleth-3

Oleth-5

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Faex Extract

Choleth-24

Ceteth-24

Tocopheryl Acetate

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Hexylene Glycol

Carbomer

Triethanolamine

Trisodium EDTA

BHT

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-75, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Pantethine, Caffeine, Lecithin, Tripeptide-32, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Rna, Bisabolol, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Faex Extract, Choleth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceteth-24, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Hexylene Glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Trisodium EDTA, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140

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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.

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).

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

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.

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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