Proactiv Repair Repairing Treatment Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

Proactiv Repair Repairing Treatment Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

This acne treatment is formulated around Benzoyl Peroxide to clear breakouts.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%

Water

Ethoxydiglycol

Cyclotetrasiloxane

Cyclopentasiloxane

Propylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Panthenol

Allantoin

Xanthan Gum

Ceteareth-20

Carbomer

Sodium Hydroxide

Diazolidinyl Urea

Methylparaben

Propylparaben

Parfum

Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%, Water, Ethoxydiglycol, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Ceteareth-20, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum

Benzoyl Peroxide

Bisabolol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Sodium Citrate

Laureth-4

Caprylyl Glycol

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

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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.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) is one of the most studied and widely used acne-fighting ingredients on the market for over five decades.

It works by releasing oxygen into your pores to kill Cutibacterium acne, or the bacteria closely linked to acne breakouts. This bacteria has a hard time surviving in an oxygen-rich environment.

On top of that, BPO has keratolytic properties to help shed dead skin cells and keep pores from getting clogged.

One of the coolest things about BPO is that bacteria do not develop resistance to it the way they can with antibiotics. That's why dermatologists recommend pairing it with topical antibiotics to keep resistance at bay.

BPO is usually available in 2.5%, 5%, and 10% concentrations. Research has shown that 2.5% tends to be just as effective as the higher strengths while being more gentle on the skin.

The FDA has classified BPO as a safe and effective acne treatment. You'll be able to find this ingredient in over-the-counter products in many countries.

Just so you know, BPO is a known mild irritant. It's common to see dryness, peeling, and some redness when you first start using it. This usually goes away as your skin adjusts.

A very small number of people might develop allergic contact dermatitis from it as patch test studies show positive reactions in about 1-5% of patients.

Once BPO is absorbed into the skin, our bodies turn it into benzoic acid and quickly exits in urine. It's also worth noting that BPO will bleach fabrics and hair, so watch your towels and pillowcases!

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

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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