Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads versus Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA .
Last updated on September 15, 2023. Published on March 09, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and BHA
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 oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens and fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Facial Treatment
Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.
Price
Ingredient Info
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Lactic Acid • Mandelic Acid • Glycerin • Polysorbate 20 • Salicylic Acid • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Hamamelis Virginiana Water • Salix Alba Bark Extract • Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract • Propanediol • Disodium EDTA • Phenoxyethanol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Parfum • Linalool • Limonene
Water • Butylene Glycol • Glycolic Acid • Glycerin • Lactic Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Malic Acid • Tartaric Acid • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Ceramide Ng • Salicylic Acid • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Punica Granatum Extract • Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract • Camellia Oleifera Leaf • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Peucedanum Graveolens Extract • Allantoin • Adenosine • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Bisabolol • Polyquaternium-10 • Xanthan Gum • Carbomer • Polysorbate 20 • Sodium Bicarbonate • Sodium Hydroxide • Aminomethyl Propanol • Phenoxyethanol • Benzyl Alcohol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 1.
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.
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 2.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 2.
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.
Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 3.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 5.
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 GlycerinNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 5.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 20NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 6.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 29.
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.
Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.
In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 7.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 12.
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 8.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 20.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract has many benefits. It contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off free-radical molecules that damage skin cells. The antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.
Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties. Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. L-theanine is an amino acid that makes up most of the amino acids found in tea leaves. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also contains Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract also has antimicrobial properties.
Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractNourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 14.
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.
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads contains this as ingredient number 16.
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA contains this as ingredient number 33.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
NourishMax Tri-Acid Exfoliating Complex Peeling Pads 20 ingredients
Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Smoothing Treatment 10% AHA 34 ingredients
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