Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops versus SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator .
Last updated on November 28, 2023. Published on January 02, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, 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.
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops 29 ingredients
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator 45 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops 29 ingredients
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator 45 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Build your routine, track which ingredients work for you, and much more with your free account.
Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops 29 ingredients
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator 45 ingredients
Water • Butylene Glycol • Glycerin • Pentylene Glycol • Propylene Glycol • Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate • Chondrus Crispus Extract • Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Tocopheryl Acetate • Phenoxyethanol • Hexylene Glycol • Tromethamine • Carbomer • Xanthan Gum • Ppg-26-Buteth-26 • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil • Fructose • Disodium EDTA • Glucose • Dextrin • Urea • Sucrose • Glutamic Acid • Aspartic Acid • Hexyl Nicotinate • Alanine
Water • Dimethicone • Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer • Glycerin • Butylene Glycol • Bis-Peg-8 Dimethicone • Polysilicone-11 • Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer • Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid • Sodium Hyaluronate • Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract • Vibrio Alginolyticus Ferment Filtrate • Alteromonas Ferment Extract • Porphyridium Cruentum Extract • Whey Protein • Plankton Extract • Trehalose • Urea • Serine • Algin • Caprylyl Glycol • Pullulan • Disodium Phosphate • Potassium Phosphate • Pentylene Glycol • Polymethylsilsesquioxane • Glyceryl Polyacrylate • Sodium Citrate • Sea Water • Sucrose Palmitate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Hydroxyacetophenone • Polysorbate 60 • Propanediol • Potassium Sorbate • Citric Acid • Isohexadecane • Polysorbate 80 • Silica • Decyl Glucoside • Tromethamine • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Watere.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 1.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 1.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 2.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 5.
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 Glycerine.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 3.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 Glycole.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 4.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 26.
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a type of hyaluronic acid. In fact, it is modified version of hyaluronic acid.
The structure of Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer allows it to stay in the skin's top layer for a longer period of time. This allows for even more hydration and humectant action than hyaluronic acid.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymere.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 9.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 9.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetatee.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 10.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 32.
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.
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 11.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 44.
Tromethamine is an aliphatic compound. An aliphatic compound is an organic compound with open-chained carbon atoms. It is synthetically created. Tromethamine is used to balance pH and improve texture.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about Tromethaminee.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 13.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 42.
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 Glycole.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 17.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 22.
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.
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 18.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 43.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAe.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 21.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 45.
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.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Learn more about Ureae.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops contains this as ingredient number 24.
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 19.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops 29 ingredients
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator 45 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
e.l.f. cosmetics Hydrating Booster Drops 29 ingredients
SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator 45 ingredients
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