Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Squalane

Glycerin

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Pentylene Glycol

1,2-Hexanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Butylene Glycol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Gigartina Stellata Extract

Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate

Tridecapeptide-1

Oligopeptide-1

Sodium Phytate

Propanediol

Lecithin

Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate

Cyanocobalamin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Dimethicone, Squalane, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Gigartina Stellata Extract, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Tridecapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Cyanocobalamin, Phenoxyethanol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Cetyl Alcohol

Saccharide Isomerate

Stearic Acid

Palmitic Acid

Glycine Soja Sterols

Allantoin

Ceramide NP

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Carbomer

Niacinamide

Cetearyl Alcohol

Behentrimonium Methosulfate

Sodium Hydroxide

Myristic Acid

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Cholesterol

Tocopherol

Tripeptide-1

Laureth-9

Citric Acid

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Phytosphingosine

Xanthan Gum

Dextran

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Saccharide Isomerate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Tripeptide-1, Laureth-9, Citric Acid, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol

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.

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.

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!

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