Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Dermalogica Active Moist

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Dermalogica Active Moist

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride and Saccharide Isomerate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

No key ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ethyl Macadamiate

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Propanediol

Triethylhexanoin

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root

Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract

Niacinamide

Tripeptide-29

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phytosphingosine

Cholesterol

Panthenol

Sodium PCA

Adenosine

Lecithin

Arginine

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Gluconate

Citric Acid

Isohexadecane

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tripeptide-29, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Lecithin, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Methyl Gluceth-20

Coconut Alkanes

Palmitic Acid

Stearic Acid

Saccharide Isomerate

Dimethicone

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Citrus Limon Fruit Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Hedera Helix Extract

Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract

Nasturtium Officinale Extract

Polysorbate 60

Caprylyl Glycol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Allantoin

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Polyquaternium-10

Triethyl Citrate

Myristic Acid

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Lavandula Hybrida Flower Extract

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hydroxide

Aminomethyl Propanol

Citral

Linalool

Limonene

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Coconut Alkanes, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Propanediol, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyquaternium-10, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Myristic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citral, Linalool, Limonene

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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.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite 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.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical 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.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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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