Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum Versus The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum Versus The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Asiaticoside to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Polysorbate 20

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids

Ceramide NP

Ethylhexylglycerin

Epilobium Angustifolium Extract

Ceramide AP

Cholesterol

Phytosphingosine

Beta-Glucan

Sarcosine

Carbomer

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract

Sea Whip Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ceramide EOP

Magnesium Aspartate

Potassium Aspartate

Ubiquinone

Phenoxyethanol

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Calcium Chloride

Propylene Glycol

Tocopherol

Sodium Metabisulfite

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Beta-Glucan, Sarcosine, Carbomer, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide EOP, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Ubiquinone, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Calcium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Propanediol

Isodecyl Neopentanoate

Pentylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Hexyldecanol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Xylitylglucoside

Ceteth-20 Phosphate

Anhydroxylitol

Ethyl Linoleate

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Naringenin

Cyanocobalamin

Panthenyl Triacetate

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid

Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide

Bisabolol

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Sphingolipids

Phospholipids

Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside

Gallyl Glucoside

Propyl Gallate

Xylitol

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Stearic Acid

Dicetyl Phosphate

Isoceteth-20

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Dehydroacetic Acid

P-Anisic Acid

Phytic Acid

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Benzyl Alcohol

Chlorphenesin

Water, Propanediol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hexyldecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Anhydroxylitol, Ethyl Linoleate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Naringenin, Cyanocobalamin, Panthenyl Triacetate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Propyl Gallate, Xylitol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Dicetyl Phosphate, Isoceteth-20, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Phytic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

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.

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.

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