Updated on October 29, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Avène Cleanance Smoothing Night Cream 34 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel 34 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Avène Cleanance Smoothing Night Cream 34 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel 34 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Benefits
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Ingredients Side-by-side
Water. 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.
Caprylic Acid is a fatty acid commonly found in plant oils, such as palm and coconut oils.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
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.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Another popular name for this ingredient is Synovea HR. This ingredient is a skin lightener and antioxidant.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Algin is brown algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Arachidyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol made from peanut oil. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener.
A type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as traditional alcohols.
May worsen Eczema
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
This BHA stands for butylated hydroxyanisole. If you are looking for the beta-hydroxy acid, aka as Salicylic Acid, click here.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
Buddleja Davidii Extract is native to China and Japan. It is also known as the Butterfly Bush as it provides food for butterflies.
This helper ingredient is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is created from coconut alcohol.
7 Benefits 3 Concerns
Retinal is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the gold-standard class of anti-aging ingredients.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
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.
Water, Caprylic Acid, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Hexylresorcinol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, BHA, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Peg-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, CI 17200, Retinal, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Xanthan Gum
Water. 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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Serine is an amino acid naturally found in our body. Our bodies use amino acids to create protein.
Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.
Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.
Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.
Proline is an amino-acid. It helps moisturize the skin and plays an important role in creating proteins.
Glutamic Acid is an amino acid that is found in all living organisms. Our bodies use this to help nerve cells in the brain communicate with other cells.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and used to adjust the pH of a product.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
Glucose is a simple sugar and is the most important source of energy in all organisms.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Synthetic beeswax is created to be identical in structure to beeswax. It possesses the same occlusive and emulsion properties.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Beeswax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterDimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Avène Cleanance Smoothing Night Cream 34 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel 34 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Avène Cleanance Smoothing Night Cream 34 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel 34 ingredients
BaiFengxi
I got this because it was one of the products I used two years ago that moisturized my skin without making me oily. However, they came out with a...
I got this because it was one of the products I used two years ago that moisturized my skin without making me oily. However, they came out with a new formula earlier this year. I decided to try it anyways and right off the bat I could tell it was different. The old formula was unscented. I'm sensitive to scents, and the new one smells like strong herbal shampoo. I put it on and it stung a little. I don't have a damaged barrier and none of the new products I've tried have burned at all. This one stung a little. So I ended up just washing it all off. I did not like this product. Just note the dates on the other reviews. If they are earlier than January 2024, be aware that Neutrogena discontinued that formula and the came out with the new one, which is what I talked about in this review.
