BIOTHERM Blue Therapy Anti-Aging Night Cream Versus Paula's Choice Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cera Alba
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParaffin
Perfuming
Algae
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventIsohexadecane
EmollientLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltitol
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Zea Mays Starch, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Alba, Sorbitol, Myristyl Myristate, Zea Mays Oil, PEG-14m, Cera Microcristallina, Paraffin, Algae, Sorbitan Tristearate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Isohexadecane, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Adenosine, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Maltitol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Octyldodecanol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Triacetin
AntimicrobialCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycerin, Cocoglycerides, Squalane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hexylene Glycol, Tocopherol, 2,3-Butanediol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Sodium PCA, Urea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Trehalose, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan 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 Gum
