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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream versus Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 .

Last updated on September 12, 2023. Published on July 03, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer American Brand United States
Day Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Day Moisturizer

Day Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin during the daytime.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
30

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (9)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (4)
Mineral UV Filter
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene 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.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 37.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.

Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.

The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.

Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.

Learn more about Polysorbate 20

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 44.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 27.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 53.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 29.

5
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream contains this as ingredient number 54.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 contains this as ingredient number 15.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

52% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
29% are disliked or very disliked
7% have no rating yet
33% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream 58 ingredients

4.2 /5
from 11 ratings
Expensive (2) Hydrating (2) Works Well (2) Absorbs Well (1) Light (1) Strong Scent (1)
sillygirl's avatar

sillygirl

3 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

for the price point of this moisturizer i feel like i expected a lot more?

i mostly used this moisturizer at night paired with my tretinoin and...

for the price point of this moisturizer i feel like i expected a lot more?

i mostly used this moisturizer at night paired with my tretinoin and i found that the 2 worked well with each other. it’s a really nice almost gel-like cream texture with a light fragrance. i found it a little hard to blend while my face was still damp which is when i usually apply moisturizer. i don’t feel like it did much for my skin but moisturize it.. lol definitely wouldn’t pay $70 for it again

zankhaft's avatar

zankhaft

5 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

My HG facial moisturizer. It makes my face feel so soft and velvety. It dries quickly, is gentle even when my face is on fire and it has a slight...

My HG facial moisturizer. It makes my face feel so soft and velvety. It dries quickly, is gentle even when my face is on fire and it has a slight "chemical" smell that I tend to like. I love the pump as well. I use this when I need a good hit of luxury.

Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 30 ingredients

Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30 hasn't been rated yet.
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Our Dupe Finder has found 5 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Moisturiser SPF 30.

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