Face Reality Skincare Hydrabalance Hydrating Gel Versus The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Gel Cream
Updated on November 18, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and 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, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens and fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Face Reality Skincare Hydrabalance Hydrating Gel 29 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Gel Cream 24 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Face Reality Skincare Hydrabalance Hydrating Gel 29 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Gel Cream 24 ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Totarol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tributyl Citrate
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Phenyl T-Butylnitrone
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Carbomer, Maltodextrin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Potassium Sorbate, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Santalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Citric Acid, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Totarol, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Alcohol, Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Rubus Idaeus Juice
AstringentBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Benzyl Benzoate, Rubus Idaeus Juice, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Sodium Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Potassium Sorbate, CI 14700
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium 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 HydroxideTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Face Reality Skincare Hydrabalance Hydrating Gel 29 ingredients
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Gel Cream 24 ingredients
Reviews
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