Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant

Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Kaolin for a rinse-off pore-care boost. This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid to re

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Paula's Choice Pore Clarifying Charcoal Gel Mask Versus Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant

This wash off mask is made with Bentonite and Kaolin for a rinse-off pore-care boost.

This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Glycolic Acid to refine skin texture and brighten dull-looking skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Tapioca Starch

Glycerin

Decyl Glucoside

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Butylene Glycol

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Bentonite

Kaolin

Charcoal Powder

Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract

Bisabolol

Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Lactic Acid

Xanthan Gum

Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

CI 77499

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Water, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Butylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bentonite, Kaolin, Charcoal Powder, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Bisabolol, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, CI 77499, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol

Glycolic Acid

Sodium Hydroxide

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Panthenol

Sodium PCA

Propylene Glycol

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Polyquaternium-10

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-10, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate

Reviews

Be the first to review

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.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  4. 04Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  5. 05Your 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.
  6. 06Aquaporin-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.
  7. 07This 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.
  8. 08Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  9. 09Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  10. 10Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
  11. 11Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
  12. 12It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
  13. 13Linoleic Acid is also known as Vitamin F. It is a fatty acid with emollient and skin conditioning properties.
  14. 14Our top layer of skin, or epidermis, naturally contains high amounts of linoleic acid.
  15. 15Your body uses linoleic acid to build ceramides and prostaglandins. Ceramides keep your skin's barrier hydrated and strong while prosaglandins help control inflammation and healing.
  16. 16Needless to say, linoleic acid is crucial for having a strong skin barrier.
  17. 17One study found applying linoleic acid rich sunflower oil to be more effective at repairing the skin barrier than olive oil.
  18. 18This ingredient can also help treat acne by softening sebum to prevent clogged pores. Another study found using 2.5% linoleic acid gel for 4 weeks showed a 25% reduction in small comedones.
  19. 19Studies show it can also help lighten hyperpigmentation or sun spots by disrupting the melanin production process. It also helps your skin shed melanin pigment from your skin caused by UV exposure.
  20. 20Due to its role in the production of the fatty acid prostaglandin, linoleic acid can also help reduce inflammation and support wound healing.
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
02

Product index

Related product references

03

Comparison edit

Read side by side

Continue reading

Related articles