Paula's Choice Boost Hyaluronic Acid + Peptide Lip Booster Versus PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster

Paula's Choice Boost Hyaluronic Acid + Peptide Lip Booster Versus PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Lip Booster

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Diisostearyl Malate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Dipentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate/Polyhydroxystearate

Polyamide-8

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Triisostearin

Squalane

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline

Water

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Tocopherol

Tribehenin

Palmitic Acid

Hydroxystearic Acid

Sorbitan Isostearate

Trihydroxystearin

Glycine Soja Oil

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Portulaca Pilosa Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lactic Acid

Sucrose Cocoate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Glucomannan

Sorbic Acid

Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate/Polyhydroxystearate, Polyamide-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Triisostearin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Water, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trihydroxystearin, Glycine Soja Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Sucrose Cocoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glucomannan, Sorbic Acid

Petrolatum

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer

Beeswax

Aroma

Ricinus Communis Seed Oil

Sodium Saccharin

Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer

BHT

Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder

Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Beeswax, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Aroma, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Saccharin, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, BHT, Trihydroxystearin, Sucrose Cocoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder

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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.

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate is derived from cetearyl alcohol and sorbic acid.

It is an emollient and helps hydrate the skin. Emollients form a barrier on the skin to prevent water from escaping.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

In cosmetics, it plays many roles:

One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.

For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

This synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.

First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.

What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?

This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.

Matrikines play a role in:

Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.

This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.

We don't have a description for Portulaca Pilosa Extract yet.

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.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

Sucrose cocoate is a mild multitasking ingredient made by esterifying sugar with the fatty acids of coconut oil.

It functions as a surfactant, emulsifier, and skin-conditioning ingredient all in one.

Typical use concentrations range from:

This ingredient is well-tolerated across skin types and has been classified safe for use in cosmetic products by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. It's even considered gentle enough for use in baby care products like shampoos and lotions.

Fungal acne note: Sucrose cocoate is a fatty acid ester derived from coconut oil that contains fatty acids in the C12-18 range. This is the range that Malassezia can metabolize, meaning this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.

Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.

Trihydroxystearin is what you get when you fully hydrogenate castor oil into a waxy, fine powder.

It's mostly a behind-the-scenes texture enhancer that's especially good at "thixotropic" thing where the product stays thick but applies nicely.

Because of its structure, it also acts as a mild skin conditioning emollient that helps soften skin while preventing moisture loss.

Safety studies show it to be safe and non-irritation in clinical tests. It's typically used in concentrations up to 5%.

Since its an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can potentially feed on. This makes it not fungal-acne safe.

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