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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum versus Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on January 22, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, parabens, silicones 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.

Serum American Brand United States
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

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Buy B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum

Starts at $49.00
Shop

Buy HydraFirm + Brightening Serum

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

Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides (4)

Benefits

Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating
Rosacea
Eczema
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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

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

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 Glycol

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
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

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.

6
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

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 26.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.

7
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.

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum contains this as ingredient number 28.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

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

50% are loved or liked
11% have mixed ratings
25% are disliked or very disliked
14% have no rating yet
79% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
7% are disliked or very disliked
0% 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

Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum 28 ingredients

3.7 /5
from 3 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Expensive (1) Hydrating (1)
Lapaki's avatar

Lapaki

1 year ago · Dry Skin
Review

Great vitamin B serum
This hydrating serum contains vitamin B (B3 niacinamide and B5 panthenol / pantothenic acid), an antioxidant that nourishes...

Great vitamin B serum
This hydrating serum contains vitamin B (B3 niacinamide and B5 panthenol / pantothenic acid), an antioxidant that nourishes skin and treats several signs of ageing. It's also filled with pineapple ceramides, a lentil-apple-and-watermelon complex, and other nourishing ingredients. Regular use results in smoother, plumper, and brighter skin. The serum works very well for my dry skin, doesn't pill with other products, is scentless, has a great consistency, and is fantastic to mix with other DE products into "smoothies" instead of layering. Will continue using it in my winter routines / colder months, when I use DE products the most. [Edited]

Schadua's avatar

Schadua

1 month ago · Dry Skin
Review

I mean, it is great, maybe for dry skin not enough hydration. It didn’t cause me breakouts or irritation, but overall, it’s okay. However, for the...

I mean, it is great, maybe for dry skin not enough hydration. It didn’t cause me breakouts or irritation, but overall, it’s okay. However, for the price, there are definitely better options. It does what it’s supposed to do.

Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum 14 ingredients

HydraFirm + Brightening Serum hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Drunk Elephant B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Urban Skin HydraFirm + Brightening Serum.

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