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Paula's Choice Resist Triple Active Total Repair Serum Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F Triple Serum

Paula's Choice Resist Triple Active Total Repair Serum Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F Triple Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinyl Propionate to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots. This anti-aging seru

Paula's Choice Resist Triple Active Total Repair Serum Versus Lancôme Rénergie H.C.F Triple Serum

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinyl Propionate to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Niacinamide and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isopropyl Myristate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Hydroxystearic Acid

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Tocotrienols

Retinyl Propionate

Hexylresorcinol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cetyl Alcohol

Castanea Sativa Leaf Extract

Hydroxyacetophenone

Ceramide AP

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Dilauryl Thiodipropionate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Phytate

BHT

Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Hydroxystearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocotrienols, Retinyl Propionate, Hexylresorcinol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Castanea Sativa Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Phytate, BHT

Dipropylene Glycol

Butylene Glycol

Propylene Glycol

Alcohol

Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate

Pentylene Glycol

CI 77891

Guanosine

Mica

Tocopheryl Acetate

Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Stearic Acid

Adenosine

Caffeine

PEG-100 Stearate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Silica Silylate

Palmitic Acid

Polysorbate 20

Polysorbate 80

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Limonene

Xanthan Gum

Tin Oxide

Benzyl Alcohol

Isohexadecane

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Boron Nitride

Ferulic Acid

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Sorbitan Oleate

Myristic Acid

Geraniol

Octocrylene

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Octyldodecanol

Octyldodecyl Xyloside

Citric Acid

Citronellol

Glyceryl Stearate

Parfum

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Pentylene Glycol, CI 77891, Guanosine, Mica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Caffeine, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Silica Silylate, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Tin Oxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Boron Nitride, Ferulic Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Myristic Acid, Geraniol, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecyl Xyloside, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum

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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.

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).

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

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.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Ascorbyl Glucoside (AA-2G) is one of the most stable vitamin C derivatives out there.
  4. 04It's made by attaching a glucose molecule to ascorbic acid; this glucose "cap" shields the vitamin C from air, light, heat, and metal ions that normally cause pure ascorbic acid to oxidize.
  5. 05Once on your skin, the enzyme alpha-glucosidase snips off the glucose and gradually releases active ascorbic acid right where it's needed. Basically, it behaves like a slow-release pro-vitamin C with less of a stinging that high-strength ascorbic ac…
  6. 06The research supports the classic vitamin C benefits as well. In lab and human studies, AA-2G slowed down the skin's production of melanin (the pigment behind dark spots) and helped shield skin cells against sun damage better than ascorbyl phosphate.
  7. 07These studies also showed AA-2G released vitamin C over a longer period.
  8. 08A frequently cited manufacturer trial found that a 2% AA-2G face cream significantly improved wrinkle depth and skin roughness after 45 days.
  9. 09And in 2009, a clinical trial showed it meaningfully lightened dark patches on the gums compared to a placebo.
  10. 10There's also collagen-synthesis support (since vitamin C is a required cofactor for that) and an antioxidant effect too.
  11. 11Typical usage is usually between 0.5-5% and most studies/products land around 2%.
  12. 12AA-2G performs best when formulated at a mildly acidic pH (~5-7) which is much gentler than the pH that pure vitamin C demands (~2.5-3.5).
  13. 13Just one thing worth knowing: the in-skin conversation rate is only about 55-60% by weight. So a 5% AA-2G product delivers roughly 2.75-3% of actual active vitamin C. On top of that, skin absorption is relatively low because the ingredient is water-…
  14. 14Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
  15. 15Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
  16. 16Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
  17. 17Ceramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
  18. 18You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
  19. 19The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
  20. 20Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Source · skinsort.com
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Product index

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Comparison edit

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