Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles. Water Ethyl Macadamiate Glycerin Cetearyl Alcohol Propanediol Triethylhexanoin Sodium Acrylates Copolymer Glyceryl Stearate PEG-100 Stearate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract Niacinamide Tripeptide-29 Ceramide NP Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Sodium Hyaluronate Phytosphingosine Cholesterol Panthenol Sodium PCA Adenosine Lecithin Arginine Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate Sodium Gluconate Citric Acid Isohexadecane Xanthan Gum Carbomer Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin Water, Ethyl Macadamiate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Tripeptide-29, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Adenosine, Lecithin, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin Bifida Ferment Lysate PEG-8 Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane Methyl Gluceth-20 Glycereth-26 PEG-75 Butylene Glycol Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract Tripeptide-32 Faex Extract Lactobacillus Ferment Cola Acuminata Seed Extract Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Hydrolyzed Algin Pantethine Caffeine Sodium Rna Bisabolol Squalane Oleth-3 Phosphate Caprylyl Glycol Oleth-3 Oleth-5 Choleth-24 Hydrogenated Lecithin Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters Ceteth-24 Tocopheryl Acetate Triethanolamine Tetrasodium EDTA BHT Potassium Sorbate Disodium EDTA CI 14700 CI 19140 Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, PEG-8, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycereth-26, PEG-75, Butylene Glycol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate, Faex Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Pantethine, Caffeine, Lecithin, Sodium Rna, Bisabolol, Squalane, Glycerin, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Oleth-5, Choleth-24, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Ceteth-24, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Tetrasodium EDTA, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140 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. Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids. Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker: It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers. 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. Typical use concentrations range from 0.3