Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin versus Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer .
Published on July 29, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
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 🎉
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 🎉
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 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 4 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:
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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient 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:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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.
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
Water • Cyclopentasiloxane • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone • Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract • Allantoin • Beta-Glucan • Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate • Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract • Phenyl Trimethicone • Dimethicone • Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer • Sodium Hyaluronate • Arctium Majus Root Extract • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Laminaria Saccharina Extract • Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract • Panthenol • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Isohexadecane • Sodium Carbomer • Polysorbate 80 • 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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 1.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone used to improve texture and trap moisture. An easier name for this is D5.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
D5 is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxanePaula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 2.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 7.
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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 3.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 7.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 11.
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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 12.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 5.
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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 25.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 13.
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 Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin contains this as ingredient number 26.
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 10.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin 26 ingredients
Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer 13 ingredients
hobimiin_110
I am somebody with fungal acne and very dry skin. This is one of the few FA safe moisturizers I have used. Overall, this has been a solid...
I am somebody with fungal acne and very dry skin. This is one of the few FA safe moisturizers I have used. Overall, this has been a solid moisturizer. However, it is pricey and packaging really needs to be updated or changed.
Pros:
-fungal acne safe
- lightweight; texture is between a cream and gel with very good spread- ability
- has 5% urea
-my skin has become considerably smoother and softer
- decent job at moisturizing my skin
Cons:
- feels too “siliconey” ; takes a while to absorb
- can sting sometimes because of high amount of urea. I found that it can be especially irritating when I have a damaged moisture barrier.
-PACKAGING!!! I used to experience a lot of product oozing out of the bottle but I think they’ve tried to fix that by not filling up the bottle as much. I haven’t experienced that issue in recent purchases. HOWEVER, the tube cap is SO easy to drop. It’s irritating when I’m trying to close the tube and the cap slips out my hands. Also, it’s hard to get product out of the tube without the tube key that you have to buy separately 🤦♀️ .
- pricey for 1.7 ounces. I have seen the price of this moisturizer increase significantly. As of January 2024, this product costs $28 for a 1.7 ounce tube. To put that into perspective, the Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Cream (FA safe) is 2.7 ounces for that same price.
Beepbop3
Too irritating!
I found that this product irritated my skin greatly, I think urea is too much for me personally but it was a great FA safe...
Too irritating!
I found that this product irritated my skin greatly, I think urea is too much for me personally but it was a great FA safe moisturizer!
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Paula's Choice Calm Redness Relief Moisturizer for Normal to Oily Skin.
See 50 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Malezia 5% Urea Moisturizer.
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