Versus

Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster Versus Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

Facial Treatment
Facial Treatment
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Updated on July 18, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe facial treatments. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

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

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

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Soothing

Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.

Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.

Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Learn more about Allantoin
Masking, Skin Conditioning, Soothing

Bisabolol is famous for its skin soothing properties. It does this by blocking inflammatory signals, helping to reduce your body's reaction to irritation.

This ingredient also interferes with the process of hyperpigmentation. This can help with reducing dark spots and uneven tone.

Bisabolol is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. By fighting these free-radicals, Bisabolol may slow down signs of aging.

Studies have shown Bisabolol to have antimicrobial properties and may be a fungicide. These properties help preserve a product's shelf life.

All these properties makes bisabolol a great skin barrier helper ingredient.

Bisabolol also helps the absorption of other ingredients.

Note: Synthetic Bisabolol has been shown to be less effective.

Learn more about Bisabolol
Preservative

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

When to use

737 Routines
43% use in am
57% use in pm
81% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
183 Routines
39% use in am
61% use in pm
74% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster 21 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 12 ratings
Expensive (3) Broke Me Out (3) Doesn't Work (2)
thesunrising's avatar

Mia

1 year ago
Review

Did nothing for my fungal acne. Actually did nothing at all.
(Compared to my cheap no-name Russian brand Azelaic acid cream which worked wonders).

#doesn't work
BubbIes's avatar

BubbIes

1 year ago
Review

Paula's Choice at it again with cetearyl alcohol high up on the ingredient list. I'm disappointed by their ingredients fairly consistently now.

#broke me out
#irritating

Paula's Choice Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide 14 ingredients

4.8 /5
from 4 ratings
Absorbs Well (2) No Scent (2) Works Well (2)
joji_blossom_tree's avatar

joji_blossom_tree

5 months ago
Review

genuinely stabilized my acne, don’t get much too any breakouts anymore and i have oily acne prone skin (only con would be that it has lightened my skin over time)

#great value
#absorbs well
#no scent
#works well