Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Boots Azelaic Acid Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

Boots Azelaic Acid Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Detailed comparison of Boots Azelaic Acid Gel Cream versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster. This calming moisturizer is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Bisabolol to calm red

This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.

Boots Azelaic Acid Gel Cream Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Detailed comparison of Boots Azelaic Acid Gel Cream versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster. This calming moisturizer is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Bisabolol to calm redness and clear breakouts. This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots. Water Butylene Glycol Azelaic Acid Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Behenyl Alcohol Dimethicone Glyceryl Stearate Sorbitan Stearate Polysorbate 60 Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 Phenoxyethanol Potassium Hydroxide Potassium Cetyl Phosphate Bisabolol Ethylhexylglycerin Tocopheryl Acetate Glycerin O-Cymen-5-Ol Disodium EDTA Beta-Glucan 1,2-Hexanediol Hydroxyacetophenone Water, Butylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate Cetearyl Alcohol Salicylic Acid Adenosine Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract Allantoin Cyclopentasiloxane Xanthan Gum Sclerotium Gum Propanediol Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin. What makes it special? OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription. Here's what each tier does best: Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive. Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness. Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient. It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation. A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin. In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum. You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%. Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin. Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons: Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients. Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel. While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns. Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source. This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out. This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain l