Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator

Paula's Choice Clear Pore Normalizing Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator

This salicylic acid gel cleanser is formulated around Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and unclog pores.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Salicylic Acid

Water

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer

Glycerin

PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Arginine

Butylene Glycol

PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Panthenol

Disodium EDTA

Citric Acid

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium Citrate

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Salicylic Acid, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin

Cyclopentasiloxane

Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Cetyl Alcohol

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Adenosine

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Glucose Oxidase

Lactoperoxidase

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Lactobacillus

Polysilicone-11

Sodium Chloride

Potassium Thiocyanate

Glucose

Xanthan Gum

Ceteareth-20

Decyl Glucoside

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cetyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Adenosine, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Glucose Oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Thiocyanate, Glucose, Xanthan Gum, Ceteareth-20, Decyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

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.

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.

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!

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