Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser Versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser

Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser Versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser EU. This mild gel

This source-based comparison does not add ratings or recommend a winner.

Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser Versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Defense Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser versus The INKEY List Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser EU. This mild gel cleanser is made to cleanse without leaving your skin tight or dry. This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some. Water Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine Sodium Lauroamphoacetate Cocamidopropyl Betaine Glycerin Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate Decyl Glucoside Pentylene Glycol Sodium Chloride Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate Lauric Acid Lactic Acid Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids Sorbitan Laurate Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate Disodium EDTA Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Cocoyl Proline Sodium Citrate Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Sodium PCA Sodium Lactate Arginine Glycine Soja Sterols Linoleic Acid Phospholipids Aspartic Acid PCA Glycine Alanine Serine Valine Isoleucine Proline Threonine Potassium Citrate Lactoperoxidase Histidine Phenylalanine Glucose Oxidase Citric Acid Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin Potassium Sorbate Sodium Benzoate Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Decyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocoyl Proline, Sodium Citrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Potassium Citrate, Lactoperoxidase, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose Oxidase, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate Coco-Glucoside Butylene Glycol Xanthan Gum Benzyl Alcohol Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Peat Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil Dehydroacetic Acid Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peat, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate 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%. Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air. This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with: On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it. One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin). Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption. You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%. 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 so