Ingredient or product comparison
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser Detailed comparison of Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser versus Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without le
This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser Versus Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser Detailed comparison of Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser versus Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. Water Sodium Laureth Sulfate Decyl Glucoside Glycerin Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate Acrylates Copolymer Lauryl Glucoside PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate Triethanolamine Sodium Chloride Pentylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Sodium Hydroxide Citric Acid Hexylene Glycol Behenyl Alcohol Distearyl Ether Sodium Benzoate Laureth-2 Squalane Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Tocopherol Ascorbyl Glucoside Persea Gratissima Oil Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Distearyl Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Laureth-2, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Sodium Lauroamphoacetate Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate Lauric Acid Lactic Acid Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids Sorbitan Laurate Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate Disodium EDTA Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cocoyl Proline Sodium Citrate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Sodium PCA Sodium Lactate Arginine Glycine Soja Sterols Linoleic Acid Phospholipids Aspartic Acid PCA Glycine Alanine Serine Valine Isoleucine Proline Threonine Potassium Citrate Lactoperoxidase Histidine Phenylalanine Glucose Oxidase Ethylhexylglycerin Potassium Sorbate Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Decyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocoyl Proline, Sodium Citrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Potassium Citrate, Lactoperoxidase, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose Oxidase, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes. Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath. However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products. Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH. In skincare formulas, citric acid can: While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants. Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations. Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger. However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups. This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy. Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin. While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study. Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants. Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam. Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions. Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS). Typical use leve