Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer versus e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer .
Published on April 25, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 14 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain ceramides, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, 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
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 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 🎉
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 🎉
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:
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 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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:
Benefits
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Cetearyl Alcohol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Niacinamide • Stearic Acid • Ceteth-20 • Trehalose • Silica • Avena Sativa Kernel Flour • Sodium Hyaluronate • Allantoin • Tocopheryl Acetate • Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water • Ceramide NP • Ceramide AP • Ceramide EOP • Phytosphingosine • Cholesterol • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Carbomer • Xanthan Gum • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Caprylyl Glycol • Tromethamine • Steareth-2 • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Disodium EDTA
Water • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Butylene Glycol • Phenyl Trimethicone • Diisostearyl Malate • Jojoba Esters • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate • Ceramide 3 • Ceramide 6 Ii • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Ceramide 1 • 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
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric Triglyceridee.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 4.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 3.
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 Hyaluronatee.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 11.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 9.
Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine is already present in our skin. On our skin, it is a building block for ceramides.
Phytosphingosine tells our skin to increase its natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Phytosphingosine is also abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Learn more about Phytosphingosinee.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 18.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 35.
Cholesterol is a class of organic molecules called lipids. It helps hydrate your skin and is essential to having a healthy skin barrier.
Our skin naturally contains cholesterol in the outermost layer. Besides cholesterol, it also contains ceramides and fatty acids. Cholesterol makes up about 1/4 of your skin's outer layer and barrier. Your skin barrier is responsible for keeping allergens and microbes out. Having a healthy skin barrier is also responsible for keeping your skin firm and plump.
Our bodies use cholestrol to create vitamin D, steroid hormones, and more.
Learn more about Cholesterole.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 19.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 37.
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is an emulsifier and surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally. Surfactants reduce surface tension, making it easier to rinse pollutants off skin.
Due to its relation to lauric acid, it may provide antimicrobial benefits.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl Lactylatee.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 20.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 33.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 21.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 34.
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.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gume.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 28.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 27.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 24.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 18.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 25.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 26.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 26.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.
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 Pure Skin Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 29.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 29.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
e.l.f. cosmetics Pure Skin Moisturizer 29 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
ClaireLundberg
I like but don't love this moisturizer, although I'm on my second bottle. Despite having gel in the name, it's not a gel. It's a light cream...
I like but don't love this moisturizer, although I'm on my second bottle. Despite having gel in the name, it's not a gel. It's a light cream moisturizer that feels nice, has some nice anti-aging ingredients, and does what it says on the can. I wish it wasn't scented. I keep using it because I like the airless pump packaging and it's cheap.
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