Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Versus Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

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

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

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

Trisiloxane

Trehalose

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Silybum Marianum Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides

Sorbitol

Sodium Polyaspartate

Caffeine

Thermus Thermophillus Ferment

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Caprylyl Glycol

Sucrose

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Oleth-10

Saccharide Isomerate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Tromethamine

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Disodium EDTA

PEG-8

Hexylene Glycol

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Tocopheryl Acetate

BHT

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trisiloxane, Trehalose, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Silybum Marianum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Caffeine, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Oleth-10, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Disodium EDTA, PEG-8, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 14700, CI 19140

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.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

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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