Paula's Choice Defense Nightly Reconditioning Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer

Paula's Choice Defense Nightly Reconditioning Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Defense Nightly Reconditioning Moisturizer versus Paula's Choice Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Moisturizer. This barrier-repair night moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 and Ceramide Ng to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier. Water Glycerin Ethylhexyl Palmitate Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Isoamyl Laurate Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract Almond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides Medicago Sativa Extract Sesamum Indicum Seed Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil Hydrolyzed Algae Extract Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10 Sodium Hyaluronate Ceramide Ng Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Cocoyl Proline Tocopherol Allantoin Trehalose Eclipta Prostrata Extract Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil Alaria Esculenta Extract Adenosine Phosphate PEG-10 Phytosterol Tribehenin Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Sorbitan Olivate Sodium Gluconate Zinc Gluconate Copper Gluconate Magnesium Aspartate Cetearyl Olivate Isoamyl Cocoate Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate Microcrystalline Cellulose C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Xanthan Gum Pentylene Glycol Butylene Glycol Stearate Phenoxyethanol Potassium Sorbate Ethylhexylglycerin Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isoamyl Laurate, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Almond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides, Medicago Sativa Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed, Hydrolyzed Eruca Sativa Leaf, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocoyl Proline, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Trehalose, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Adenosine Phosphate, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Tribehenin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Cetearyl Olivate, Isoamyl Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate Cetyl Alcohol Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate Potassium Cetyl Phosphate Glyceryl Stearate PEG-100 Stearate PEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 Dimethicone Glyceryl Ascorbate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Retinol Ceramide NP Ceramide Ns Ceramide AP Ceramide EOP Ceramide Eos Cholesterol Caprooyl Phytosphingosine Caprooyl Sphingosine Squalane Punica Granatum Extract Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Vitis Vinifera Tocopheryl Acetate Carnosine Panthenol Sodium PCA Butylene Glycol Sodium Citrate Ceteareth-25 Polysorbate 20 Ethylhexyl Stearate Sodium Hydroxide Trideceth-6 Propyl Gallate Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer Sodium Polyacrylate Behenic Acid Disodium EDTA Caprylyl Glyc 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. 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 preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages. Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon. Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product. So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation. You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!