Paula's Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster Versus Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF50+ Superscreen Oxybenzone Free Formula
This pore-care treatment is formulated around Niacinamide and Acetyl Glucosamine to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.
This chemical sunscreen covers the full UV range and blocks ~98% of UVB at SPF 50.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBoerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingUbiquinone
AntioxidantEpigallocatechin Gallate
AntioxidantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin ConditioningGenistein
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ubiquinone, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Carnosine, Genistein, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Octocrylene
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
UV AbsorberPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativePinus Pinaster Callus Powder
Skin ConditioningPonceau Sx
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingOctocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Phenoxyethanol, Pinus Pinaster Callus Powder, Ponceau Sx, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Sorbitan Stearate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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