Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum

Paula's Choice Resist Anti-Aging Eye Cream Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Sodium PCA

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Sodium Polyacrylate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Glucosyl Hesperidin

Copper Gluconate

Troxerutin

Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate

Resveratrol

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Phytic Acid

Beta-Glucan

Acetyl Glucosamine

Tocopherol

Allantoin

Adenosine

Dextran

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Sea Whip Extract

Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Xanthan Gum

Cetearyl Alcohol

Maltodextrin

Benzyl Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Copper Gluconate, Troxerutin, Disodium Rutinyl Disulfate, Resveratrol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phytic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dextran, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sea Whip Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Maltodextrin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Dimethiconol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Phenyl Trimethicone

Squalane

Bisabolol

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Retinol

Tocotrienols

Lecithin

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate

Hexylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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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%.

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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