Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant versus ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator .
Published on January 25, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe exfoliators. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for 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.
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Exfoliator
Exfoliators are used to exfoliate the skin, or remove dead skin cells from the skin. Exfoliators may be chemical or physical.
Price
Ingredient Info
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant 35 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
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 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant 35 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
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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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant 35 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
Water • Glycolic Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Glycerin • Sodium Hydroxide • Beheneth-5 • Dimethicone • Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate • Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate • Behenyl Alcohol • Undecane • Arachidyl Alcohol • Stearyl Alcohol • Cetyl Alcohol • Phospholipids • Allantoin • Tocopheryl Acetate • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Bisabolol • Arctium Lappa Seed Oil • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Panthenol • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer • Tridecane • Hydrogenated Polydecene • Sclerotium Gum • Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate • Disodium EDTA • Tocopherol • Chlorphenesin • Benzoic Acid • Sorbic Acid • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol
Water • Glycolic Acid • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Lactic Acid • Glycerin • Propylene Glycol Stearate • Propylene Glycol • Ammonium Hydroxide • Cetyl Alcohol • Squalane • Steapyrium Chloride • Allantoin • Disodium EDTA • Dimethicone • Tocopheryl Acetate • Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Retinyl Palmitate • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol
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 WaterPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 1.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 1.
Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with research to back up its benefits. Its main role is to peel the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Glycolic Acid has shown to boost collage production, a protein that helps skin stay firm. Overall, Glycolic Acid helps with improving uneven tone, rough patches of skin, fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. It also increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.
When applying Glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging. The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product.
Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 2.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 TriglyceridePaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 3.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 GlycerinPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 4.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 5.
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.
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 7.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 14.
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.
Its main roles are:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 14.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 9.
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 AllantoinPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 16.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 12.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetatePaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 17.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 15.
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 ExtractPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 18.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 17.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAPaula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 29.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 13.
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.
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 34.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 21.
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.
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant contains this as ingredient number 35.
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator contains this as ingredient number 22.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant 35 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant 35 ingredients
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
ZO Skin Health Exfoliation Accelerator 22 ingredients
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 15 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice 8% AHA Lotion Exfoliant.
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