Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream

ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream Detailed comparison of ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Laminaria

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

ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream Detailed comparison of ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense versus Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Laminaria Digitata Extract and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. Water Dicaprylyl Carbonate Cetearyl Isononanoate Glycerin Pentylene Glycol Cetearyl Alcohol Steareth-20 Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters Laminaria Digitata Extract Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture Retinyl Palmitate Tocopheryl Acetate Tocopherol Micrococcus Lysate Caprylyl Glycol Hexylene Glycol Lactose Galactoarabinan Lecithin Schizophyllan Beta-Glucan 1,2-Hexanediol Carbomer Cellulose Maltodextrin C14-22 Alcohols Cetearyl Glucoside C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Disodium EDTA Sodium Hydroxide Phenoxyethanol Ethylhexylglycerin Sodium Benzoate Parfum CI 77007 Limonene Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Steareth-20, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Leontopodium Alpinum Meristem Cell Culture, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Micrococcus Lysate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Lactose, Galactoarabinan, Lecithin, Schizophyllan, Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Cellulose, Maltodextrin, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Glucoside, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 77007, Limonene Ethylhexyl Stearate Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Butylene Glycol Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Petrolatum 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 Linoleic Acid Linolenic Acid 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 Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate Tridecyl Stearate Behenyl Alcohol Sclerotium Gum C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate Polysorbate 20 Sorbic Acid 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 Fr Be the first to review These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture. Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%. It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier. Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%. A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions. Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier. Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient. It plays several roles in a formula: Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products. Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people. However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers. Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy. Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans. Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients. This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize. A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe. Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose. Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion. Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review. Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty