Skin science article
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask Versus Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask Versus Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask This wash off mask is made with Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Oenothera Biennis Oil for a rinse-off hydration boost. This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around
Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask Versus Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask
This wash off mask is made with Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Oenothera Biennis Oil for a rinse-off hydration boost.
This hydrating overnight mask is formulated around Chondrus Crispus Extract and Ganoderma Lucidum Extract to hydrate skin and calm redness.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Sorbitan Stearate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Ethyl Macadamiate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclohexasiloxane
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit
Glycine Soja Sterols
Tocopheryl Acetate
Tocopherol
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Linoleic Acid
Phospholipids
Sodium Hyaluronate
Retinyl Palmitate
Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
Cetearyl Glucoside
Sclerotium Gum
Hectorite
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Phenoxyethanol
Water, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Hectorite, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Dimethicone
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Pentapeptide-59
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract
Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Betula Alba Juice
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Xanthan Gum
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Lauroyl Lysine
Propanediol
Potassium Sorbate
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentapeptide-59, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Betula Alba Juice, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Myristamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Lauroyl Lysine, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
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.
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.
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!