Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum Versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Calm Repairing Serum versus Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer EU. This calming serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide NP to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Oenothera Biennis Oil and Panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. Water Glycerin Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Sodium Hyaluronate Polysorbate 20 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone Xanthan Gum Disodium EDTA Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids Ceramide NP Ethylhexylglycerin Epilobium Angustifolium Extract Ceramide AP Cholesterol Phytosphingosine Beta-Glucan Sarcosine Carbomer Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract Sea Whip Extract Glycine Soja Seed Extract Hyaluronic Acid Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Ceramide EOP Magnesium Aspartate Potassium Aspartate Ubiquinone Phenoxyethanol 1,2-Hexanediol Caprylyl Glycol Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Calcium Chloride Propylene Glycol Tocopherol Sodium Metabisulfite Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate Sodium Benzoate Potassium Sorbate Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Beta-Glucan, Sarcosine, Carbomer, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide EOP, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Ubiquinone, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Calcium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate Butylene Glycol Glycereth-26 Oenothera Biennis Oil Cetyl Alcohol Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate Cyclopentasiloxane Stearic Acid Glyceryl Stearate PEG-100 Stearate Cyclohexasiloxane Dimethicone Panthenol Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Tocopheryl Linoleate Tocopheryl Acetate Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Ascorbyl Palmitate Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate Sodium PCA Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid Saccharide Isomerate Hydroxypropyl Guar Allantoin Rosa Moschata Seed Oil Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose Sodium Citrate Trisodium EDTA Batyl Alcohol Sodium Hydroxide Chlorphenesin Benzoic Acid Sorbic Acid Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl 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. Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant. It is used to help stabilize other antioxidants or prevent the color from changing in a product. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Thus, antioxidants may reduce the signs of aging. This ingredient is oil-soluble. Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!). It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome. On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive. Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10). You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.