Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Anti-blemish
- Evens skin tone
- Anti-aging
- Moisturizing
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: medium
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 1
Key actives
Product Summary
Based on the ingredients included, "Papulex - Oil-free Cream - Acne" works well for moisturizing the skin. This moisturizer uses a good combo of humectants and emollients. These both types of ingredients are essentials for improving the skin hydration and keeping the skin barrier healthy. Cyclomethicone, zinc pca and butylene glycol in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Cyclomethicone, cera alba, cetearyl alcohol, isodecyl neopentanoate and paraffin in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
Ingredient callouts
- We particularly like that there is a good concentration of Niacinamide (2.10% - 3.10%) in this moisturizer. Niacinamide is a well-studied multi-tasking active. It is a great ingredient to have in a moisturizer. It is stable, and can work well in almost any hydrating formulation. There is solid evidence that Niacinamide can help support skin barrier, regulate oil production and reduce acne and clogged pores. It also helps to fight photodamage and help improve the skin tone, reducing pigmentation marks.
Irritation risk
There are some common irritants in this product, including ingredients that do not have benefits for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Price
The product retails for 68.19$ in the United States and for 18.00£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains niacinamide.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
Oil-free Cream , Acne
Source: From product name
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: niacinamide. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: zinc pca
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
Evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: niacinamide
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Moisturizing
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
cyclomethicone, zinc pca.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: cera alba, cyclomethicone.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
A type of silicone that leaves a nice silky finish on the skin and can help soften its upper layer
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
Prevents water loss from the skin surface and thickens the product consistency
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
An emollient that helps soften the skin. It also forms a protective on its surface to reduce water loss.
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
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Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Papulex Oil-free Cream - Acne | Current | ≈ $23.77 | |
 Alliance Papulex Oil-Free Cream | 100% | ≈ $12.02 | |
 TIA'M Pore Minimizing 21 Cream | 91% | $20.50 | |
 Rilastil Acnestil Attiva Cream | 89% | ≈ $24.02 | |
 La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Barrier Repairing Cream | 89% | ≈ $11.10 | |
 Muldream Turn Over Intensive Facial Cream | 87% | $17.84 |
Key Actives
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
A type of silicone that leaves a nice silky finish on the skin and can help soften its upper layer
Potential irritants
A preservative. Works by releasing formaldehyde. Can be irritating
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
Helps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
Used to improve product texture and help oil and water mix together
Comedogenic ingredients
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
All ingredients
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
An emollient that helps soften the skin. It also forms a protective on its surface to reduce water loss.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A type of silicone that leaves a nice silky finish on the skin and can help soften its upper layer
Is used to enhance product texture and can help to optically mask skin imperfections
Used to stabilize product formulations and create a nice product texture
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
Helps water and oil in the product mix well together and improves product texture
A compound that combines zinc with a hydrating ingredient PCA. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Can help calm down inflammation in skin. Could be helpful in reducing the formation of free radicals in skin. Might help to reduce fine lines in wrinkles, but solid evidence is missing
Used to improve product texture and help oil and water mix together
Prevents water loss from the skin surface and thickens the product consistency
A preservative. Works by releasing formaldehyde. Can be irritating
Ingredient list view
Water, Butylene glycol, Unknown, Cetearyl alcohol, Isodecyl neopentanoate, Niacinamide, Cyclomethicone, Polymethyl methacrylate, Dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, C12-14 pareth-12, Cera alba, Cetearyl glucoside, Sucrose stearate, Zinc pca, Polyacrylamide, C30-45 alkyl methicone, Paraffin, Unknown, Methylparaben, Laureth-7, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl urea
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Efficacy of barrier creams in comparison to skin care products in dental laboratory technicians--a controlled trial