Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30 Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion Sunscreen SPF 30. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness. This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging. 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 Homosalate 15% Octocrylene 10% Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5% Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3% Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer Alcohol Denat. Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate Blue 1 Lake Butyloctyl Salicylate Caprylyl Methicone Chlorphenesin Dimethicone Disodium EDTA Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid Menthyl Lactate Parfum Pentylene Glycol Polyurethane-62 Silica Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer Sodium Hydroxide Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer Tocopheryl Acetate Trideceth-6 Homosalate 15%, Octocrylene 10%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Blue 1 Lake, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylyl Methicone, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Menthyl Lactate, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyurethane-62, Silica, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trideceth-6, Water These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. 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. Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive. Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture. This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic. A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier. Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range. Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally. 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 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU. Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservativ