e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-Gel Moisturizer Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientXylitol
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Saccharide Isomerate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Diisostearyl Malate, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Lecithin, Xylitol, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Phytosphingosine, Polysorbate 20, Cholesterol, Geraniol, Linalool, Parfum
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV AbsorberHomosalate 15%
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV AbsorberOctocrylene 10%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningButyloctyl Salicylate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSilica
AbrasiveCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientPolyurethane-62
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialMenthyl Lactate
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Homosalate 15%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 10%, Water, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Caprylyl Methicone, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Dimethicone, Polyurethane-62, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, Chlorphenesin, Menthyl Lactate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-6, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Blue 1 Lake
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water