Paula's Choice Water-Infusing Electrolyte Moisturizer Versus BIOTHERM Cera Repair Barrier Cream with Ceramides
This moisturizer is formulated around Potassium PCA and Magnesium PCA to hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Ceramide NP to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientPotassium PCA
Humectant
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Calcium PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin Protecting
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Biotin/Folic Acid/Cyanocobalamin/Niacinamide/Pantothenic Acid/Pyridoxine/Riboflavin/Thiamine/Yeast Polypeptides
Skin Conditioning
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Serotina Fruit Extract
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Creatine
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Behenate
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
ChelatingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Potassium PCA, Magnesium PCA, Calcium PCA, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Biotin/Folic Acid/Cyanocobalamin/Niacinamide/Pantothenic Acid/Pyridoxine/Riboflavin/Thiamine/Yeast Polypeptides, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Prunus Serotina Fruit Extract, Squalane, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Pisum Sativum Extract, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Creatine, Bisabolol, Sorbitol, Inositol, Xylitol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Levulinate, Behenyl Behenate, Tribehenin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
ChelatingPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Oleate, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Adenosine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Parfum
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 NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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 Water
