Paula's Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturizer Versus Augustinus Bader The Cream

Paula's Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturizer Versus Augustinus Bader The Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Dimethicone

Stearic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Cetyl Alcohol

Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Sphingolipids

Phospholipids

Phytosphingosine

Squalene

Cholesterol

Tocopherol

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Glycine Soja Oil

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Glycerin

Panthenol

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Beta-Sitosterol

Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate

Propylene Glycol

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Xanthan Gum

Carbomer

Disodium EDTA

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Phytosphingosine, Squalene, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Sitosterol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Pentylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine

Sorbitol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Carbomer

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Alcohol

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Squalane

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sodium Hydroxide

Lecithin

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Glycine Soja Protein

Superoxide Dismutase

Citric Acid

Dextran

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Alanyl Glutamine

Arginine

Ceramide Ng

Glycine

Lysine

Oleic Acid

Palmitic Acid

Phenylalanine

Proline

Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Retinyl Palmitate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Dextran Sulfate

Betula Alba Oil

Oligopeptide-177

Sodium Ascorbate

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Sodium Carbomer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Lecithin, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ceramide NP, Glycine Soja Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Citric Acid, Dextran, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Ceramide Ng, Glycine, Lysine, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenylalanine, Proline, Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Betula Alba Oil, Disodium EDTA, Oligopeptide-177, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol

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.

Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.

It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.

As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.

Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.

Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:

Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.

It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.

Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.

This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.

A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.

Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.

Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.

Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

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.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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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