Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream Versus Paula's Choice PC4MEN Nighttime Repair
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe night moisturizers. They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain peptides and retinoid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream 47 ingredients
Paula's Choice PC4MEN Nighttime Repair 28 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream 47 ingredients
Paula's Choice PC4MEN Nighttime Repair 28 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Not safe for Fungal Acne
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil is derived from the kernels of the argania spinosa tree. You may know it as argan oil.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
Dimethyl Isosorbide is a solvent and helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from sorbitol.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide is a form of peptide. It is created by blending peptides with palmitic acid. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
4 Benefits May cause irritation
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
Oil
Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil is an antioxidant and is an oil.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Withania Somnifera Root Extract is also known as Ashwaganda extract. Ashwaganda is an evergreen shrub grown in India, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.
We don't have a description for Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract.
7 Benefits 3 Concerns
Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Ellagic Acid is a type of polyphenol. Polyphenols are a group of compounds that have potent antioxidant activity. Antioxidants protect our skin against damage and may help reduce the signs of aging.
Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
This Honeysuckle flower extract comes from the Italian honeysuckle. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fragrance.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Steareth-20 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from stearyl alcohol.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
EU Allergen
Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
2 Concerns
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Galactoarabinan, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Retinal, Ellagic Acid, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Cyclodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Steareth-20, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Ethylhexyl Stearate is an ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and stearic acid. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and texture enhancer.
Cocoglycerides is made from the mono, di and triglycerides of coconut oil. It is an emollient and emulsifer.
2 Concerns
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a 3-amino acid peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
8 Benefits 3 Concerns
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract is the extract of the leaves of Camellia Oleifera, Theaceae.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
Chamomilla Recutita Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Glycine Soja Seed Extract comes from the seed of the wild soybean plant. Wild soybean extract contains fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, linolenic), vitamin E, and antioxidants.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Glycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lecithin, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Retinol, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan GumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Ingredient Ratings
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