Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Eye Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Borago Officinalis Seed Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butylene Glycol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Cetyl Palmitate

Nylon-12

Propanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate

Persea Gratissima Oil

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Squalane

Niacinamide

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cholesterol

Morus Alba Root Extract

Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Linoleic Acid

Linolenic Acid

Serine

Alanine

Proline

Arginine

Threonine

Phytosphingosine

Phytosterols

Sodium PCA

Glycine

Oleic Acid

Glutamic Acid

Lysine Hcl

Lecithin

Adenosine

Sodium Lactate

Hydrogenated Olive Oil

Euterpe Oleracea Sterols

Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables

Phytic Acid

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Glycerin

PCA

Betaine

Pullulan

Carbomer

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Silica

Sorbitan Oleate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Chlorphenesin

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Squalane, Niacinamide, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Morus Alba Root Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Proline, Arginine, Threonine, Phytosphingosine, Phytosterols, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Oleic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Lecithin, Adenosine, Sodium Lactate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Sterols, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Phytic Acid, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Glycerin, PCA, Betaine, Pullulan, Carbomer, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Cocoglycerides

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Sodium Polyacrylate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Retinol

Punica Granatum Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Glycine Soja Oil

Propylene Glycol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lecithin, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Retinol, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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.

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.

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

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.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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