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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.

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
  4. 04The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
  5. 05Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down o…
  6. 06The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
  7. 07A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at…
  8. 08A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
  9. 09On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
  10. 10This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
  11. 11Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
  12. 12Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
  13. 13Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
  14. 14It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
  15. 15Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
  16. 16A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
  17. 17Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
  18. 18Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
  19. 19It plays several roles in a formula:
  20. 20Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Source · skinsort.com
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Comparison edit

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