Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum.

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

Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream Versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Ethylhexyl Stearate Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Butylene Glycol Glycerin Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Petrolatum Cetearyl Alcohol Dimethicone Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate Glyceryl Stearate Tridecyl Trimellitate PEG-100 Stearate Phenyl Trimethicone Retinol Adenosine Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Ceramide Ng Sodium Hyaluronate Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Niacinamide Tocopherol Lecithin Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid Retinyl Palmitate Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract Glycine Soja Sterols Tribehenin PEG-10 Phytosterol Magnesium Aluminum Silicate Sodium PCA Sodium Lactate Pullulan Xanthan Gum Sodium Hydroxide Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate Cetearyl Glucoside Tridecyl Stearate Behenyl Alcohol Sclerotium Gum Carbomer C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Polysorbate 20 Disodium EDTA Sorbic Acid Phenoxyethanol Chlorphenesin Benzoic Acid Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Retinol, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide Ng, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tribehenin, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tridecyl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid Cyclopentasiloxane Isododecane Dimethicone Crosspolymer Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate Cyclohexasiloxane Tocopheryl Acetate Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Astaxanthin Bisabolol Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract Salix Alba Bark Extract Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract Betula Alba Bark Extract Glycine Soja Oil Silica Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Astaxanthin, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract 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%. 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. Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!). It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does