Skin science article
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum Versus ZO Skin Health Rozatrol
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum Versus ZO Skin Health Rozatrol This calming serum is formulated around Beta-Glucan and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier. This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol and Opuntia
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Repairing Serum Versus ZO Skin Health Rozatrol
This calming serum is formulated around Beta-Glucan and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
This calming serum is formulated around Panthenol and Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
Beta-Glucan
Sea Whip Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide NP
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Cholesterol
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Phytosphingosine
Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Ubiquinone
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Magnesium Aspartate
Potassium Aspartate
Sarcosine
Xanthan Gum
Carbomer
Polysorbate 20
PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Sea Whip Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Cholesterol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Ubiquinone, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Sarcosine, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Cetyl Alcohol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Palmitoyl Glycine
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Dimethicone
Panthenol
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Lactose
Lactis Proteinum
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
Farnesyl Acetate
Farnesol
Panthenyl Triacetate
Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture
Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Lecithin
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Laminaria Digitata Extract
PEG-35 Castor Oil
Carbomer/Papain Crosspolymer
Tocopherol
Caprylyl Glycol
Hydrolyzed Algin
Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate
Algin
Galactoarabinan
Schizophyllan
PEG-12 Glyceryl Laurate
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Maltodextrin
1,2-Hexanediol
Aminomethyl Propanol
Lactic Acid
Citric Acid
Chlorphenesin
Parfum
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Palmitoyl Glycine, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Lactose, Lactis Proteinum, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Farnesyl Acetate, Farnesol, Panthenyl Triacetate, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Lecithin, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Carbomer/Papain Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Algin, Neopentyl Glycol Diisostearate, Algin, Galactoarabinan, Schizophyllan, PEG-12 Glyceryl Laurate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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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.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
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.
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.