Paula's Choice Clear Regular Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution With 2% Salicylic Acid Versus Tia’m My Little Pore No Sebum Cream

Paula's Choice Clear Regular Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution With 2% Salicylic Acid Versus Tia’m My Little Pore No Sebum Cream

This acne exfoliator is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate to clear breakouts and calm redness.

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Polysilicone-11 and Zinc Oxide to balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Salicylic Acid 2%

Water

Dipropylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Polysorbate 20

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Allantoin

Panthenol

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Methyl Gluceth-20

Glycereth-26

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Sodium Hydroxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Sodium Metabisulfite

Salicylic Acid 2%, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Panthenol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite

Dimethicone

Alcohol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

1,2-Hexanediol

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Polysilicone-11

PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether

Silica

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Isohexadecane

Betaine

Citric Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

CI 77120

Zinc Oxide

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Parfum

Disodium EDTA

Polysorbate 80

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil

Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract

Hydrogen Dimethicone

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Amino Esters-1

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Silica, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Betaine, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 77120, Zinc Oxide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract

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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.

Glycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.

It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.

As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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