Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster for Redness Relief
by Paula's Choice · skin_care
Editor's Take
Ten percent Azelaic Acid backed by Salicylic Acid and a multi-pathway soothing complex; the silicones smooth application but cap the clean score at 6.5.
Four-pillar formula scores
- Efficacy: 8.8 / 10
- Modern Tech: 7.5 / 10
- Clean Beauty: 6.5 / 10
- Sustainability: 7.9 / 10
The Verdict
This is a clinically dosed treatment serum that earns its 8.8 efficacy score by pairing high-load Azelaic Acid with Salicylic Acid and a targeted botanical stack; Licorice, Boerhavia Diffusa, Bisabolol; for redness and texture. The formula uses cyclic and linear silicones to manage the gritty feel of Azelaic Acid, which keeps application smooth but disqualifies it from COSMOS and pulls clean down to 6.5. Technology sits at 7.5 for the liquid-crystal emulsion logic that stabilizes the active without heavy surfactants. Worth it if you need proven actives at clinical strength and can live with the silicone trade-off; skip it if clean formulation matters more than potency.
Full INCI list
Water (Aqua), Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol