The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan Versus Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan Versus Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer Detailed comparison of The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan versus Paula's Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Moisturizer. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. Water PPG-24-Glycereth-24 Propanediol Betaine Beta-Glucan Arginine Glycine Alanine Serine Proline Threonine Glutamic Acid Lysine Hcl Glucose Maltose Fructose Trehalose Xylitol Anhydroxylitol Xylitylglucoside Sodium PCA PCA Sodium Lactate Urea Allantoin Sodium Hyaluronate Phospholipids Sphingolipids Glycerin Pentylene Glycol Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Sodium Hydroxide Sodium Chloride Sodium Citrate Citric Acid Tocopherol P-Anisic Acid Aminomethyl Propanol Phenoxyethanol Chlorphenesin Water, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, Propanediol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, P-Anisic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin Dimethicone Squalane Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract 1,2-Hexanediol Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer Butylene Glycol Hydroxyacetophenone Sodium Acrylates Copolymer Gigartina Stellata Extract Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate Tridecapeptide-1 Oligopeptide-1 Sodium Phytate Lecithin Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate Cyanocobalamin Water, Dimethicone, Squalane, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Gigartina Stellata Extract, Acetyl Sh-Hexapeptide-5 Amide Acetate, Tridecapeptide-1, Oligopeptide-1, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Cyanocobalamin, Phenoxyethanol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products. As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied. It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin. A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record. 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. Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula: Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses. On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations. Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%. 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