Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin Versus COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin Versus COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Allantoin to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

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

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Betaine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Carbomer

Ethyl Hexanediol

Arginine

Sodium Polyacrylate

Palmitic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Stearic Acid

Adenosine

Myristic Acid

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic Acid

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

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.

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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