Skin science article
The INKEY List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Serum Redness Relief Solution Versus Paula's Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum
The INKEY List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Serum Redness Relief Solution Versus Paula's Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid to calm redness and clear breakouts. This hydrating serum is formulated around Simm
The INKEY List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Serum Redness Relief Solution Versus Paula's Choice CellularYouth Longevity Serum
This calming serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid to calm redness and clear breakouts.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil and Bacillus Ferment to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Azelaic Acid
Propanediol
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Acacia Senegal Gum
Xanthan Gum
Allantoin
Glycerin
Ethylhexylglycerin
Polysorbate 60
Sorbitan Isostearate
Maltodextrin
Sodium Hydroxide
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Polylysine
Water, Azelaic Acid, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Polylysine
Triheptanoin
Methyl Gluceth-20
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Tridecyl Trimellitate
1,2-Hexanediol
Dimethicone
Taurine
Bacillus Ferment
Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract
Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Isomalt
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Hydroxyacetophenone
C9-12 Alkane
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Glyceryl Behenate
Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate
Sodium Phytate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Potassium Chloride
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Caprylyl Glycol
Citric Acid
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Lecithin
Cyanocobalamin
Tin Oxide
CI 77491
CI 77891
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Triheptanoin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Maltodextrin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Taurine, Bacillus Ferment, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Isomalt, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C9-12 Alkane, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Glyceryl Behenate, Polyglyceryl-6 Octastearate, Sodium Phytate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Chloride, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Lecithin, Cyanocobalamin, Tin Oxide, CI 77491, CI 77891
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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.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
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.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.
This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).
Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.
Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
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.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.