Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol Versus Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum

Paula's Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol Versus Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

Ethylhexyl Stearate

Cocoglycerides

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Squalane

Sodium Polyacrylate

Lecithin

Adenosine

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Ceramide NP

Retinol

Punica Granatum Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane

Tocopheryl Acetate

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Glycine Soja Oil

Butylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lecithin, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Retinol, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Polyethylene

Panthenol

Allantoin

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Dimethiconol

Laureth-4

Laureth-7

Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate

Disodium EDTA

Polyacrylamide

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Aminomethyl Propanol

DMDM Hydantoin

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Parfum

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polyethylene, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Parfum

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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