Skin science article
Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Serum
Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Serum This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This calmi
Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Versus Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Serum
This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This calming serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Houttuynia Cordata Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dimethicone
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Butylene Glycol
Bakuchiol
Arachidyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
Glycerin
PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides
Glyceryl Stearate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Polysorbate 20
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Retinol
Ceramide Ng
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Sodium Hyaluronate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Glycine Soja Sterols
Lecithin
Allantoin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Sodium Hydroxide
Tribehenin
Caprylyl Glycol
Dipeptide-2
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
PEG-10 Phytosterol
PEG-8
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Arachidyl Glucoside
Chrysin
Pentylene Glycol
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Steareth-20
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Coco-Glucoside
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Benzoic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Dipropylene Glycol
Propanediol
Eryngium Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Ilex Aquifolium Leaf Extract
Achillea Millefolium Oil
Panthenol
Chondrus Crispus Extract
C12-14 Pareth-12
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Carbomer
Tromethamine
Madecassoside
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Xanthan Gum
Adenosine
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
DNA
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Asiaticoside
Dextrin
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Hedera Helix Extract
Asiatic Acid
Madecassic Acid
Calcium Chloride
Centella Asiatica Extract
Magnesium Sulfate
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Eryngium Maritimum Callus Culture Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ilex Aquifolium Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Oil, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, C12-14 Pareth-12, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Madecassoside, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, DNA, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Asiaticoside, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Calcium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Magnesium Sulfate
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.
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.
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%.
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.
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.
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!