Cicamed ASD 3-in-1 Spot Treatment Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster

Cicamed ASD 3-in-1 Spot Treatment Versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Detailed comparison of Cicamed ASD 3-in-1 Spot Treatment versus Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster. This acne treatment is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and balance excess oil. This calming treatment is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Salicylic Acid to calm redness and fade the look of dark spots. Water Alcohol Denat. Zinc Oxide Glycerin Salicylic Acid Niacinamide Glycolic Acid Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Dimethicone Allantoin Ethylhexylglycerin Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Retinyl Palmitate Panthenol Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Sclerotium Gum Sodium Phytate Cetyl Alcohol Glyceryl Stearate Ceteth-20 Steareth-20 Steareth-2 Steareth-21 PEG-75 Stearate Triethanolamine Citric Acid Potassium Sorbate Water, Alcohol Denat., Zinc Oxide, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Glycolic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, PEG-75 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate Azelaic Acid C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate Cetearyl Alcohol Adenosine Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract Bisabolol Cyclopentasiloxane Xanthan Gum Propanediol Butylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol 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 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. Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics. Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity. Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation. It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh. Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated. This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%. Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating. Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism. 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 lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%. Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane. What it does: Dimethicone comes in different viscosities: Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties. Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity. This ingre