Paula's Choice Barrier Repair Advanced Moisturizer Versus Summer Fridays Cloud Dew Oil-Free Gel Cream Moisturizer
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning2,3-Butanediol
HumectantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Ceramide Ag
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTrehalose
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Urea
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Triacetin
AntimicrobialSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, 2,3-Butanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Ceramide Ag, Ceramide NP, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide AP, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hexylene Glycol, Trehalose, Cholesterol, Squalane, Sodium Phytate, Urea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium PCA, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientLecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Ascorbic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Hexapeptide-11, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sucrose Stearate, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Citrate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 77491
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan 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
