CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser Detailed comparison of CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser US & Canada versus Paula's Choice Hydralight One Step Face Cleanser. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while respecting your skin barrier. Water Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Glycerin Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate Niacinamide PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate Propylene Glycol Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Carbomer Methylparaben Sodium Chloride Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Cholesterol Disodium EDTA Propylparaben Citric Acid Tetrasodium EDTA Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid Phytosphingosine Xanthan Gum Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum Sodium Laureth Sulfate Sodium PCA Sodium Lactate Glycine Fructose Urea Inositol Lactic Acid Allantoin Sodium Hyaluronate PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Triethanolamine Benzophenone-3 Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate Sodium Benzoate Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Glycine, Fructose, Urea, Niacinamide, Inositol, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Benzophenone-3, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Sodium Benzoate Be the first to review These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture. Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%. It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier. Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%. A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions. 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. Methylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing. Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%. This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light. In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters. Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well: Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either. You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually. It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin. There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet. But as it stands today,