Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser Versus The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser Versus The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser versus The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your sk

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Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser Versus The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Calm Ultra-Gentle Cleanser versus The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse while calming and soothing your skin. This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup. Water Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate Glycerin Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cocamidopropyl Betaine Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate Cellulose Gum Coco-Caprylate/Caprate Hydroxyacetophenone Inulin Xanthan Gum Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Phytate Cellulose Fructose Glucose Phenoxyethanol Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Cellulose Gum, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Inulin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Phenoxyethanol Squalane Sucrose Stearate Ethyl Macadamiate Sucrose Laurate Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate Sucrose Dilaurate Sucrose Trilaurate Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 Isoceteth-20 Sodium Polyacrylate Tocopherol Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate Malic Acid Chlorphenesin Squalane, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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%. Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid. It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel. Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture. This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating. Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%. Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24). Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne. Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that: The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure. Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations. 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