Paula's Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

Paula's Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

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 Oenothera Biennis Oil 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

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Butylene Glycol

Glycereth-26

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Cyclopentasiloxane

PEG-100 Stearate

Cyclohexasiloxane

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopheryl Linoleate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium PCA

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Saccharide Isomerate

Hydroxypropyl Guar

Allantoin

Rosa Moschata Seed Oil

Polysorbate 20

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Citrate

Trisodium EDTA

Batyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Chlorphenesin

Benzoic Acid

Sorbic Acid

Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium EDTA, Batyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid

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.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

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.

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.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

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