Versus

Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer - EU Versus Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream with Microbiome Technology

General Moisturizer
General Moisturizer
American Brand
American Brand

Updated on July 18, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, 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 needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer

Water

Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycereth-26

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Oenothera Biennis Oil

Emollient
3 / 2 Oil IconHelps reduce irritation IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon
Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream with Microbiome Technology

Water

Skin Conditioning

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Emollient
1 / 2

Trisiloxane

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sucrose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Isostearyl Palmitate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

PEG-100 Stearate

0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Emollient

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Glucoside

Emulsifying

Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Skin Conditioning

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Skin Protecting

Algae Extract

Emollient
May worsen Oily Skin Icon

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Lactobacillus Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids

Cleansing

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polyethylene

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sorbitol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Linoleic Acid

Cleansing
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Inulin

Skin Conditioning

Tromethamine

Buffering

Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Cetyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 2 Fatty Alcohol Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Bisabolol

Masking
Helps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Behenyl Alcohol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Disodium EDTA

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

CI 42090

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 19140

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 77289

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 77891

Cosmetic Colorant

Mica

Cosmetic Colorant
May worsen Eczema Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Learn more about Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Emollient, Emulsifying

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate
Cleansing, Emollient, Skin Conditioning

Linoleic Acid is also known as Vitamin F. It is a fatty acid with emollient and skin conditioning properties. Our top layer of skin, or epidermis, contains high amounts of linoleic acid naturally.

Your body uses linoleic acid to build ceramides and prostaglandins. Ceramides keep your skin's barrier hydrated and strong while prosaglandins help control inflammation and healing. Needless to say, linoleic acid is crucial for having a strong skin barrier.

One study found applying linoleic acid rich sunflower oil to be more effective at repairing the skin barrier than oleic rich olive oil.

Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid, meaning our bodies cannot create it on its own. We need to get linoleic acid through foods such as nuts and vegetable oils.

Acne-prone skin tends to have linoleic acid and high levels of oleic acid.

Linoleic acid can also help treat acne by softening sebum to prevent clogged pores. Another study found using 2.5% linoleic acid gel for 4 weeks showed a 25% reduction in small comedones.

This ingredient can also help lighten hyperpigmentation or sun spots by disrupting the melanin production process. It also helps your skin shed melanin pigment from your skin caused by UV exposure.

Due to its role in the production of the fatty acid prostaglandin, linoleic acid can also help reduce inflammation and support wound healing.

Linoleic acid is not always fungal-acne safe; it may trigger flare-ups in sensitive individuals.

Learn more about Linoleic Acid

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

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 Acetate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

When to use

21 Routines
33% use in am
67% use in pm
90% use every day
52 Routines
60% use in am
38% use in pm
81% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

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Absorbs Well 100% Hydrating 100% Works Well 100%