Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA Versus Curology Custom Serum (Niacinamide 4%, Clindamycin 1%, Azelaic 4%)

Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA Versus Curology Custom Serum (Niacinamide 4%, Clindamycin 1%, Azelaic 4%) Detailed comparison of Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA versus Curology Custom Serum (Niacinamide 4%, Clindamycin 1%, Azelaic 4%). Water Butylene Glycol Cetyl Alcohol PPG-14 Butyl Ether Salicylic Acid Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Epilobium Angustifolium Extract Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract Bisabolol Allantoin Cyclopentasiloxane Cyclohexasiloxane Dimethiconol PEG-40 Stearate Sorbitan Stearate Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer Polyacrylamide C13-14 Isoparaffin Laureth-7 Disodium EDTA Sodium Hydroxide Hexylene Glycol Caprylyl Glycol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Ethylhexylglycerin Phenoxyethanol Water, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol, PEG-40 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol Niacinamide 4% Clindamycin 1% Azelaic Acid 4% Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Maltodextrin Triethylene Glycol Niacinamide 4%, Clindamycin 1%, Azelaic Acid 4%, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Laureth-7, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethylene Glycol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. C13-14 Isoparaffin is a synthetic emollient, solvent, and thickening agent. It helps soften skin and improves spreadability without leaving a greasy residue. This ingredient has been found to be non-sensitizing and safe for use in cosmetics. Two things floating around online that cause fear-mongering: There's one scary-sounding study related to kidney tumors in male rats; this depends on a protein called alpha-2u-globulin that binds the ingredient and clogs up kidney cells. Female rats barely make this protein, and humans don't make it at all so this effect cannot happen to us. Regulatory bodies have states this rat-only pathway shouldn't be used to judge human risk. The other thing you'll see is 1,4-dioxane being a trace byproduct that can form during manufacturing of petroleum-derived ingredients. This is a real, but heavily managed/monitored issue. This byproduct is removed through purification steps before the ingredients goes into the formula. Regulatory bodies also actively monitor residual levels for safety. One last thing to note: this ingredient is a pure hydrocarbon with no fatty-acid or ester chains for Malassezia to feed on, so it's considered fungal acne safe. 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%. Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties. This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away. Phenoxyethanol is