Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Ingredient or product comparison

ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum

ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Detailed comparison of ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Laminar

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ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense Versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum Detailed comparison of ZO Skin Health Daily Power Defense versus Paula's Choice Resist Super Antioxidant Serum. This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Laminaria Digitata Extract and Beta-Glucan to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking 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 Cyclopentasiloxane Dimethicone Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 Ceramide NP Tocotrienols Ubiquinone Thioctic Acid Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Ferulic Acid Superoxide Dismutase Epigallocatechin Gallate Ergothioneine Glutathione Xanthophylls Glycine Soja Seed Extract Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract Lupinus Albus Seed Extract Curcuma Longa Root Elaeis Guineensis Oil Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide NP, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Thioctic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Superoxide Dismutase, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Xanthophylls, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycerin, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Phenoxyethanol These ingredients are found in both products. Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount. Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed. It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent. On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin The more interesting story is underneath: Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair. A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use. It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive. This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%. Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component. 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 wi