Good (Skin) Days On The Bright Side Moisturizer Versus Paula's Choice Probiotic Nutrient Moisturizer
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Rice Ferment Filtrate and Squalane to strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Bifida Ferment Lysate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Isopentyldiol, Water, Ceramide NP, Propanediol, Glycerin, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Madecassoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Alanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingArginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Phytic Acid
Chelating
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningFaex
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-75 Stearate
Surfactant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isoamyl Laurate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Lauroyl Lysine, Lactobacillus/Rye Flour Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glucomannan, Saccharomyces Lysate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-10, Ceramide Ng, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Proline, Glycine, Serine, Threonine, Alanine, Valine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Adenosine, Lecithin, Phytic Acid, Yeast Extract, Faex, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glutamic Acid, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Polysorbate 20, PEG-75 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Bifida Ferment Lysate is a postbiotic ingredient made by fermenting Bifidobacterium to extract a nutrient-rich mix of peptides, amino acids, vitamins, organic acids, and polysaccharides.
These components are basically the building blocks that your skin already uses to stay hydrated, repair itself, and maintain its barrier. That's why this ingredient helps your skin hold onto moisture and stay resilient against irritation.
One in-vitro study found that this ingredient tells your skin cells to produce more of the proteins (filaggrin, loricrin, and involucrin) for building a strong and healthy barrier. This study also found this ingredient to be a solid antioxidant that helped neutralize damage against UV and pollution.
A study with people from 2010 found that sensitive, reactive skin using a cream with 10% of this ingredient for a month became noticeably less dry, less reactive, and harder to irritate compared to the group using a plain cream.
In short, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient that can help with barrier repair, antioxidant protection, and calming reactive skin.
This ingredient is generally considered fungal acne (Malassezia) safe; Bifidobacterium is a bacterium, not a yeast or fungus.
The fungal acne concern with fermented ingredients mainly applies to yeast-derived ferments like Saccharomyces and Galactomyces, because those are in the same kingdom as Malassezia and could theoretically contain residual compounds that feed it.
Bifida is a completely different organism, so on its own it doesn't provide a food source for the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about Bifida Ferment LysateButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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 Water
