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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US .

Last updated on October 29, 2023. Published on September 29, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

General Moisturizer American Brand United States
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Price

Shop

Buy Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

Starts at $17.00
Shop

Buy Hydro Boost Water Gel

Starts at $19.99

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Exfoliators
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Skin Texture
Scar Healing
Brightening

Concerns

Drying
Acne Trigger
Rosacea (2)
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 1.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 4.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 13.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 19.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 32.

5
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl 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 Glycol

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 21.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 33.

6
What it does: Humectant, Moisturising
Community Rating: Loved

Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.

As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.

In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.

Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.

Learn more about Trehalose

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 22.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 25.

7
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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 Hydroxide

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 25.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 34.

8
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly contains this as ingredient number 27.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel US contains this as ingredient number 20.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

33% are loved or liked
20% have mixed ratings
27% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet
59% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
26% are disliked or very disliked
3% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly 30 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
Absorbs Well (1) Expensive (1) Hydrating (1) Light (1) No Scent (1) Works Well (1)
shoppingaddict's avatar

shoppingaddict

2 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

super good its not oily at all it makes my skin so hydrated and i have very oily skin so this really keeps the oils down

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel 34 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 16 ratings
Absorbs Well (2) Light (2) Great Value (1) Hydrating (1) Works Well (1) Light Scent (1)
jeanpaul2301's avatar

jeanpaul2301

3 years ago · Combination Skin
Review

Great mosturizer!
Tried this out of curiosity with my mom, both of us were pleased with our results. She has normal to dry skin and I have combo...

Great mosturizer!
Tried this out of curiosity with my mom, both of us were pleased with our results. She has normal to dry skin and I have combo skin with fungal acne. She uses this everyday as soon as she gets out of the shower; without it her skin would feel dry as a desert. In my case, I put this on after using the Cetaphil daily facial cleanser. I know this product isn't fungal acne safe but I have combo skin, so I put it on the areas of my face that instead of having fungal acne, are kind of dry (mostly my cheeks, nose and neck). This moisturizer makes my skin feel refreshed, hydrated and healthy. It definitely has fragrance, but It's nice and light. I won't give it 5 stars just because it isn't fungal acne safe:)

cgi's avatar

cgi

3 years ago · Oily Skin
Review

I want to say I love it
This moisturizer isn’t even that bad, in fact it’s the first moisturizer that made my skin feel like a baby’s bum when I...

I want to say I love it
This moisturizer isn’t even that bad, in fact it’s the first moisturizer that made my skin feel like a baby’s bum when I first got into the skincare world. It made my skin smooth within a month or so. It’s very lightweight and looks clear when you put it on. When you apply it, you might have to protect your face because it does take a couple of minutes to absorb into your skin. Though it was formulated for dry/extremely dry skin, I bought this product even though I have oily skin because I’ve seen many dermatologists recommend it to those with dehydrated oily skin or just oily skin in general. It smells good, but since it does have fragrance I would not recommend this to those with sensitive skin. I love the way it feels on my face but I feel like it just doesn’t pair with the other skincare products I own. I only use this occasionally when my skin feels a little dehydrated. Other than that, I’d totally recommend this to those with dehydrated oily skin and extremely dry skin!

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