Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Versus Paula's Choice Defense Antioxidant Pore Purifier

Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Versus Paula's Choice Defense Antioxidant Pore Purifier

This acne treatment is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide and Bisabolol to clear breakouts and calm redness.

This pore-care treatment is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Salicylic Acid to refine the look of pores and balance excess oil.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Propylene Glycol

Benzoyl Peroxide

Bisabolol

Allantoin

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Citrate

Laureth-4

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Disodium EDTA

Hexylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Propylene Glycol, Benzoyl Peroxide, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Laureth-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Ethoxydiglycol

Glycerin

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Panthenol

Salicylic Acid

Camellia Sinensis Callus

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate

Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract

Ceramide NP

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Niacinamide

Phytic Acid

Epigallocatechin Gallate

Adenosine

Ubiquinone

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lecithin

Centella Asiatica Extract

Sucrose Stearate

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Carbomer

Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polysorbate 20

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Callus, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Niacinamide, Phytic Acid, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Adenosine, Ubiquinone, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sucrose Stearate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

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.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

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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