Paula's choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
Benefits
Promise: Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
A potent azelaic-and-salicylic-acid cream that dramatically and visibly clarifies uneven skin tone, fades acne marks, and reduces redness.
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: azelaic acid, salicylic acid. These ingredients is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| salicylic acid | HIGH |  |  |
| azelaic acid | HIGH | | |
| allantoin | LOW |  | |
Promise: Evens skin tone
What does the product description say?
A potent azelaic-and-salicylic-acid cream that dramatically and visibly clarifies uneven skin tone, fades acne marks, and reduces redness.
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: azelaic acid, salicylic acid
The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually can help even out the skin tone: glycyrrhiza glabra root extract.
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.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| azelaic acid | HIGH | | |
| glycyrrhiza glabra root extract | LOW | | |
| salicylic acid | LOW | | |
Promise: Exfoliation
What does the product description say?
Works within pores to decongest while smoothing the look of rough, bumpy texture. . Licorice Root Extract.
This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: salicylic acid.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| salicylic acid | HIGH | | |
| azelaic acid | MEDIUM | | |
| allantoin | LOW | | |
Other benefit: Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains adenosine.
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.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| adenosine | HIGH | | |
Other benefit: Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
Azelaic acid’s effectiveness is backed by over 20 years of research Lightweight, oil-free cream-gel texture Use alone or add to your moisturizer or serum
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:
glycerin, butylene glycol.
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: caprylic/capric triglyceride, dimethicone.
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| caprylic/capric triglyceride | HIGH | | |
| dimethicone | HIGH | | |
| glycerin | HIGH | | |
Other benefit: Anti-oxidation
This product contains antioxidants (azelaic acid) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).
| Ingredient | Effectiveness | Concentration | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| azelaic acid | HIGH | | |
| adenosine | LOW | | |
| glycyrrhiza glabra root extract | LOW | | |
Honesty check
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Exfoliation | |
| Evens skin tone | |
| Anti-blemish |
Buy now
We receive a small commission for purchases made through these links at no cost for you. Thank you for your support! Learn more
US Retailers
UK Retailers
Potential irritants
| Ingredient | Irritancy | Skin Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| salicylic acid | | |
| caprylic/capric triglyceride | | |
| methyl glucose sesquistearate | | |
User reviews (1)
Similar products & dupes
 Paula's choice - 10% Azelaic Acid Booster | skinmade - Azelaic Acid + Salicylic Acid serum | Dermaquest - DermaClear Serum | Tula - Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel | SKINCITY skincare - Enlightening Second Concentrate | Dermalogica - breakout clearing liquid peel | Dr Sam's - Flawless Neutralising Gel | Facetheory - Lumizela Azelaic Acid Serum A15 | Bioderma - Pigmentbio C-Concentrate Brightening Vitamin C Face Serum | ARCONA - Brightening Drops | Epionce - Lytic Tx | |
| Price | |||||||||||
| WIMJ similarity score | 75% | 73% | 73% | 70% | 70% | 69% | 67% | 66% | 66% | 65% | |
| Key ingredients |
| Common:
Other: | Common:
Other:
| Common:
Other:
| Common:
Other:
| Common:
Other:
| Common: Other: | Common:
Other: | Common:
Other:
| Common:
Other:
| Common:
Other:
|
| Irritancy | IRRITANCY
LOW
|  IRRITANCY
MEDIUM
|  IRRITANCY
HIGH
| IRRITANCY
LOW
| IRRITANCY
MEDIUM
| IRRITANCY
LOW
| IRRITANCY
LOW
| IRRITANCY
MEDIUM
| IRRITANCY
MEDIUM
| IRRITANCY
HIGH
| IRRITANCY
HIGH
|
| Potential Irritants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| All ingredients |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ingredients & concentrations
- azelaic acid
- salicylic acid
- adenosine
- bisabolol
- caprylic/capric triglyceride
- cyclopentasiloxane
- dimethicone
- glycerin
- allantoin
- +5 more
| Ingredient | Estimated concentration |
|---|---|
| 40% - 60% | |
| Plain old water | |
10%
Declared
| |
| Is produced by a yeast that lives on normal human skin. It is used in medicine as a topical treatment for mild to moderate acne. It has a mild exfoliating effect. It can also help reduce hyperpigmentation, helps calm down inflammation and can help neutralize free radicals | |
| 5.7% - 8.5% | |
| Enhances the product texture and makes it more spreadable. Helps reduce water loss from the outer layer of skin. Extands the shelf life by preventing bacteria growth | |
| 4.1% - 6.1% | |
| A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin | |
| 2.5% - 3.8% | |
| Helps water and oil mix together | |
| 2.2% - 3.3% | |
| One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant | |
| 1.8% - 2.6% | |
| A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture | |
| 1.5% - 2.2% | |
| An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together | |
| 1.3% - 2% | |
| A silicone that helps to reduce water loss from the surface of the skin. Can temporarily "fill in" lines and wrinkles, absorb oil, and create a nice product finish | |
| 0.8% - 1.25% | |
| Used for skin exfoliation. It has an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effect, helps to unclog pores, prevent blemishes and speed up healing of the existing ones. Sometimes referred to as a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) | |
| 0.85% - 1.3% | |
| Might help improve cell turnover and reduce inflammation in skin. One study shows that the ingredients might be able to help reduce dynamic wrinkles (for example, in the corners of the eyes or on the forehead) | |
| 0.4% - 0.95% | |
| A plant extract that can help lighten the skin and calm down inflammation. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals | |
| 0.45% - 1% | |
| A plant extract that might help reduce inflammation and neutralize free radicals | |
| 0.15% - 0.65% | |
| Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated | |
| 0.2% - 0.75% | |
| An active component of chamomile plant that historically has been used to calm down irritated skin. A recent study shows that bisabolol indeed can have some anti-inflammatory effect on skin, even though conclusive data is lacking. Bisabolol has a sweet floral scent and can be added to products for its aromatic properties | |
| 0.3% - 0.7% | |
| A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin | |
| 0.15% - 0.5% | |
| Used to create a thicker product consistency | |
| 0.1% - 0.35% | |
| Used to create gel-like formulas and stabilize emulsions | |
| 0.1% - 0.3% | |
| Acts as a solvent for other ingredients. Speeds up the absorption of other ingredients into the skin | |
| 0.05% - 0.2% | |
| 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 | |
| 0.05% - 0.25% | |
| A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products | |
Show more | |
Sources
- Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
- Dimethicone as a protective ingredient in topical medications
- Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Dimethicone Copolyol
- Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review
- Beta Hydroxy Acids
- A review of toxicity from topical salicylic acid preparations
- Glycolic Acid Peels Versus Salicylic–Mandelic Acid Peels in Active Acne Vulgaris and Post‐Acne Scarring and Hyperpigmentation: A Comparative Study
- Evaluation of anti-wrinkle efficacy of adenosine-containing products using the FOITS technique
- Use of boerhavia diffusa extract for skin relief
- Plant-Derived Immunomodulators
- Profile of wound healing process induced by allantoin