Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin Versus boscia Green Tea Oil-free Moisturizer

Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin Versus boscia Green Tea Oil-free Moisturizer

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Allantoin to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Silica and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to balance excess oil and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Allantoin

Beta-Glucan

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Phenyl Trimethicone

Dimethicone

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Arctium Majus Root Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Panthenol

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Isohexadecane

Sodium Carbomer

Polysorbate 80

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Isohexadecane, Sodium Carbomer, Polysorbate 80, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Silica

Dipropylene Glycol

Trisiloxane

Caprylyl Methicone

Lactobacillus Ferment

PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract

Betaine

Tocopherol

Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Wine Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Citrate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer

PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Water, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Lactobacillus Ferment, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Wine Extract, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer

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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.

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.

Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.

Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.

In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.

There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.

Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.

A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The quality of the extract matters a lot here:

Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.

Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).

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.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.

Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

We don't have a description for Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract yet.

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.

We don't have a description for Laminaria Saccharina 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.

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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