Skin science article
Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm
Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
Paula's Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil Versus Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm
This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.
This oil-based cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Mipa-Laureth Sulfate
Laureth-4
Laureth-7
Triethylhexanoin
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Vitis Vinifera
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Tocopherol
Phenoxyethanol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Mipa-Laureth Sulfate, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Triethylhexanoin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Diisooctyl Succinate
Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Trihydroxystearin
Glyceryl Stearate
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Diisooctyl Succinate, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Trihydroxystearin, Glyceryl Stearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate
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.
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%.
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil is from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. It is a skin conditioning agent and emollient that sits on top of skin to soften and hydrate it.
Over 98% of the oil is made up of long-chain fatty acids, mostly aachidic acid (61%), docosenoic acid (~16%), and docosadienoic acid (~18%).
This combination is not really found in any other plant oil and is the reason this is one of the most stable botanical oils available.
Some studies show it to be more stable than jojoba oil, helps a product resist going rancid, and can help extend the shelf life of a formula.
It also naturally contains vitamin E and phytosterols that give it a mild antioxidant benefit.
This ingredient is typically used from around 1% to fairly high levels since it's gentle; it's well-tolerated and low on the irritation scale.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.