Remedy For Dry Lips Versus Paula's Choice Boost Hyaluronic Acid + Peptide Lip Booster

Remedy For Dry Lips Versus Paula's Choice Boost Hyaluronic Acid + Peptide Lip Booster

This barrier-repair lip moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter to strengthen the lip barrier and hydrate lips.

This anti-aging lip moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate lips.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Petrolatum

Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides

Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax

Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate

C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate

Dimethicone

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Diheptyl Succinate

Tribehenin

Squalane

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ceramide NP

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Lactic Acid

Petrolatum, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate, C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Tribehenin, Squalane, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceramide NP, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lactic Acid

Diisostearyl Malate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Dipentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate/Polyhydroxystearate

Polyamide-8

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Triisostearin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline

Water

Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide

Tocopherol

Palmitic Acid

Hydroxystearic Acid

Trihydroxystearin

Glycine Soja Oil

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Portulaca Pilosa Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sucrose Cocoate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Glucomannan

Sorbic Acid

Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Dipentaerythrityl Tetrabehenate/Polyhydroxystearate, Polyamide-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Triisostearin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Water, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Palmitic Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trihydroxystearin, Glycine Soja Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Portulaca Pilosa Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Sucrose Cocoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glucomannan, Sorbic Acid

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

In cosmetics, it plays many roles:

One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.

For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

Lactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.

Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.

Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Like glycolic acid, it can:

Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.

Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.

To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.

Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.

Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.

When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.

Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.

Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

Tribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.

Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.

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