Explore Routine Login

Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion versus Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment .

Published on February 07, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 10 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain retinoid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain oils and silicones

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
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

Shop

Buy Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion

Shop

Buy Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment

Starts at $29.00

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

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Exfoliators
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin C
Vitamin E

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger
Irritating
Eczema
Join our community

Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.

Join SkinSort

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.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

Loading ingredients...

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

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 4.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 6.

3
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 5.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 14.

4
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 6.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter is a plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.

Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.

Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 8.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 9.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

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.

Why is retinol famous?

It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.

Retinol is proven to:

This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).

Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.

Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.

Read about Tretinoin

Learn more about Retinol

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 13.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 15.

7
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

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 19.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 26.

8
What it does: Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.

Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.

Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.

Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 21.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 18.

9
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 29.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 25.

10
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.

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion contains this as ingredient number 33.

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment contains this as ingredient number 31.

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

27% are loved or liked
15% have mixed ratings
39% are disliked or very disliked
18% have no rating yet
26% are loved or liked
16% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
3% have no rating yet

Usage

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

When to use

Loading routine usage...
Loading routine usage...

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion 33 ingredients

Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment 31 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 36 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Naturium Skin-Renewing Retinol Body Lotion.

See 36 alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment.

See 50 alternatives
Loading similar comparisons...