Ingredient or product comparison
Paula's Choice Calm Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30
Paula's Choice Calm Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Calm Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moistu
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Paula's Choice Calm Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Calm Barrier Protect Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 versus Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30. This hybrid sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~97% of UVB at SPF 30. This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract and Tetrapeptide-30 to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots. Water Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Titanium Dioxide Zinc Oxide Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene Glycerin Polyester-8 Aluminum Stearate C15-19 Alkane Hydrogenated Lecithin Silica Trehalose Inulin Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide Ascorbyl Palmitate Tocopherol Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Centella Asiatica Extract Polyhydroxystearic Acid Alumina Glyceryl Caprylate Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer Caprylhydroxamic Acid Triethoxycaprylylsilane Diheptyl Succinate Xanthan Gum Allantoin Sodium Polyacrylate Sodium Hydroxide Acacia Senegal Gum Sodium Citrate Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer Polysorbate 60 Sorbitan Isostearate Glyceryl Stearate Lecithin Glyceryl Oleate Citric Acid Sodium Benzoate Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Glycerin, Polyester-8, Aluminum Stearate, C15-19 Alkane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Silica, Trehalose, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Alumina, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Diheptyl Succinate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Citrate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Glyceryl Oleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate Isononyl Isononanoate Butylene Glycol Cetearyl Alcohol Potassium Cetyl Phosphate Dimethicone Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Tetrapeptide-30 Linoleic Acid Resveratrol Ascorbyl Glucoside Niacinamide Tocopheryl Acetate Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Bisabolol Phospholipids Glycine Soja Sterols Xanthophylls Pullulan Sodium Gluconate Sclerotium Gum C13-14 Isoparaffin Acrylates Copolymer Caprylyl Glycol Polyacrylamide Ceteareth-20 Laureth-7 Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tetrapeptide-30, Linoleic Acid, Resveratrol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Xanthophylls, Pullulan, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, C13-14 Isoparaf These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Alumina (aka aluminum oxide) is an inorganic mineral powder refined from bauxite that works as a quiet workhorse in a formula. It shows up often as an abrasive, absorbent, anticaking, bulking, and viscosity-controlling agent. One of its most common jobs is acting as a pigment carrier and dispersant. Alumina platelets are often blended with inorganic sunscreens like Titanium Dioxide (or with colorants) and then coated with a silicone such as Triethoxycaprylylsilane so the pigment spreads evenly and smoothly. In makeup, it can also double as a light-diffusing powder or oil absorber to keep formulas from looking greasy. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded alumina to be safe in present practices of use and concentration. They note it's a stable, oxidized compound and scientific research has failed to establish links to health issues. Concentrations vary depending on the product: Aluminum Stearate is the aluminum salt of the fatty acid, stearic acid. It is used to stabilize formulas, add thickness, and as a colorant. Like other large lipophilic molecules, this ingredient has low dermal absorption. Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.” C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long. In cosmetics, it plays several roles: The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility. This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product. It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own. Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated. This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid. Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food. Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing. The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well). In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. Th