Paula's Choice Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser Versus Cetaphil Sun Face Fluid SPF 50+ Tinted
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Lecithin, Arginine, Cholesterol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDibutyl Adipate
EmollientTapioca Starch
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Glycerophosphate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alumina
Abrasive
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Tapioca Starch, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Sorbitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Cetyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethyl Ferulate, Sodium Anisate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Glycerophosphate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, BHT, Citric Acid, Alumina, Magnesium Oxide, CI 77499, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilWater. 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
