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Q + A Ginger Root Daily Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel

Q + A Ginger Root Daily Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel This calming moisturizer is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Zingiber Officinale Root Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin. This pore-car

By Peptide Skincare & Beauty Editorial TeamPublished

Q + A Ginger Root Daily Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Invisible Finish Moisture Gel

This calming moisturizer is formulated around Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil and Zingiber Officinale Root Extract to calm redness and hydrate skin.

This pore-care moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to refine the look of pores and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Glycerin

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Oil

Allantoin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Tocopherol

Coco-Glucoside

Coconut Alcohol

Benzyl Alcohol

Sucrose Stearate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Sodium Benzoate

Xanthan Gum

Dehydroacetic Acid

Citric Acid

Limonene

Citral

Geraniol

Citronellol

Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Coco-Glucoside, Coconut Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Butylene Glycol

Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone

Niacinamide

Laminaria Saccharina Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract

Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Phenyl Trimethicone

Dimethicone

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Phospholipids

Superoxide Dismutase

Isohexadecane

Panthenol

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Carbomer

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 80

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phospholipids, Superoxide Dismutase, Isohexadecane, Panthenol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

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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. 03Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  4. 04The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure …
  5. 05Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  6. 06Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  7. 07Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  8. 08Your 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.
  9. 09Aquaporin-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.
  10. 10This 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.
  11. 11Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
  12. 12Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
  13. 13Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
  14. 14Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
  15. 15This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
  16. 16A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
  17. 17Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
  18. 18Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
  19. 19Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
  20. 20Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
Source · skinsort.com ⟶
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