Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser Versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser versus Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer .

Last updated on August 18, 2023. Published on September 04, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, 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.

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Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer

General Moisturizer Australian Brand

General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

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

General Moisturizer

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

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser 39 ingredients

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer 34 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

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser 39 ingredients

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer 34 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Skin Texture

Scar Healing

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying

May Worsen Oily Skin (6)

Acne Trigger (3)

Rosacea (3)

Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide

Ceramides (3)

Hyaluronic Acid

Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (5)

Good For Oily Skin

Redness Reducing (5)

Reduces Irritation (4)

Reduces Large Pores

Anti-Aging (4)

Dark Spots (2)

Scar Healing

Acne Fighting

Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin

Acne Trigger

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Ingredients Compared

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

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser 39 ingredients

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer 34 ingredients

Water • C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Myristyl Myristate • Cetearyl Alcohol • Cetyl Alcohol • Stearic Acid • Dimethicone • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Glyceryl Stearate • Ceteareth-20 • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Phenoxyethanol • Tocopheryl Acetate • Isohexadecane • Caprylyl Glycol • Pentylene Glycol • Xanthan Gum • Ethylhexylglycerin • Parfum • Polysorbate 80 • Hydrolyzed Rice Protein • Fructose • Urea • Citric Acid • Sodium Hydroxide • Hydrolyzed Pea Protein • Maltose • Sodium PCA • Sodium Chloride • Sodium Lactate • Trehalose • Allantoin • Glycine • Proline • Sodium Hyaluronate • Disodium EDTA • Glucose

Water • Ethyl Macadamiate • Glycerin • Cetearyl Alcohol • Propanediol • Triethylhexanoin • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer • Glyceryl Stearate • Peg-100 Stearate • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Hydrolyzed Pumpkin Seedcake • Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract • Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract • Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract • Niacinamide • Tripeptide-29 • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Sodium Hyaluronate • Phytosphingosine • Cholesterol • Panthenol • Sodium PCA • Adenosine • Lecithin • Arginine • Sodium Gluconate • Citric Acid • Isohexadecane • Xanthan Gum • Carbomer • Phenoxyethanol • Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

Water

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

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin 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 Glycerin

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 3.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.

Cetearyl Alcohol

What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

Glyceryl Stearate

What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying

Community Rating: Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 11.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 8.

Phenoxyethanol

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.

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 14.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 33.

Isohexadecane

What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Community Rating: Mixed

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.

Learn more about Isohexadecane

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 16.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 30.

Xanthan Gum

What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Disliked

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 Gum

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 19.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 31.

Ethylhexylglycerin

What it does: Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 20.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 34.

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 26.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 29.

Sodium PCA

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.

The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.

Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.

Learn more about Sodium PCA

Mecca Cosmetica Hydrating Moisturiser contains this as ingredient number 30.

Paula's Choice Clear Oil-Free Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 24.

Sodium Hyaluronate

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Community Rating: Loved