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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer versus Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer .

Last updated on October 18, 2023. Published on March 19, 2024

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 Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates

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 American Brand United States
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

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

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Ceramides (3)
Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (11)
Redness Reducing (4)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Anti-Aging (4)
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (8)
Redness Reducing (3)
Reduces Irritation (4)
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (3)
Irritating
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

This ingredient is the magnesium salt of PCA (Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid). It is a great skin hydrator for the top layers of skin.

PCA is a natural humectant, meaning it draws water from the air to your outer layer of skin.

One study found magnesium ions improved skin hydration in the outer layer of skin, or the stratum corneum. However, it did not improve TEWL, or the transepidermal water loss. The TEWL is an indicator of how healthy your skin barrier function is. This study primarily looked at healthy skin with intact skin barrier.

Learn more about Magnesium PCA

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 9.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 16.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Calcium PCA can be good for be good for dry skin.

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 10.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 15.

4
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.

Because squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits: it is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.

Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.

Research shows that squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).

In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.

The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.

Is squalane vegan? This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Learn more about Squalane

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 20.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 11.

5
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 29.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 12.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Sodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. If dissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical.

It is a skin conditioning agent, meaning it helps soften and hydrate your skin.

According to Cosmetic Ingredient Review, the highest amounts of sodium levulinate are found in mouthwashes at 0.62%.

Learn more about Sodium Levulinate

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 36.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 26.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan 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

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 40.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 25.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

48% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
24% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
35% are loved or liked
16% have mixed ratings
29% are disliked or very disliked
19% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer 46 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 3 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Doesn't Work (1) Drying (1) Expensive (1) Light (1) No Scent (1)
Oona's avatar

Oona

1 year ago · Dry Skin
Review

Not sufficient moisturizing for dry skin, a little does not go a long way
This didn't make me break out, didn't pill, and plays nicely with the...

Not sufficient moisturizing for dry skin, a little does not go a long way
This didn't make me break out, didn't pill, and plays nicely with the cream/liquid makeup formulas in my collection. That's about as good as it gets. I have dry skin in a dry environment and this was totally insufficient to use alone as a moisturizer, even during the day under a moisturizing sunscreen, and I would wake up with dry flaky skin if I tried to use it along as an overnight moisturizer (no improvement over the norm). I had to use a large amount to cover my face and neck, and the price per use is pretty abysmal as a result. As one of the concerns is that it might worsen oily skin, I can't think of who this product is for. Maybe people with 'normal' skin in a humid climate?

BriannaA's avatar

BriannaA

12 days ago · Combination Skin
Review

This didn't do much for my skin. I pilled on my forehead and under my chin and neck. The moisture is ok for a bit, but then my skin dried out...

This didn't do much for my skin. I pilled on my forehead and under my chin and neck. The moisture is ok for a bit, but then my skin dried out pretty quickly. Hydration did not last all day. Also not sweat proof. Sad, I really liked the idea of this moisturizer.

Acure Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer 31 ingredients

Ultra Hydrating Electrolyte Facial Moisturizer hasn't been rated yet.
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