Versus

Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Hydrating Serum Versus Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum

Serum
Serum
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Updated on July 19, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain silicones

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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Smart Custom-Repair Serum

Water

Skin Conditioning

Isododecane

Emollient

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Cyclopentasiloxane

Emollient
Silicon Icon

Polysilicone-11

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps brighten skin Icon

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Skin Conditioning
Silicon Icon

PEG-6

Humectant

Citrus Grandis Peel Extract

Astringent
Fragrance Icon

Morus Nigra Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Emollient

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Astringent

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Emollient

Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract

Skin Conditioning

Gentiana Lutea Root Extract

Skin Conditioning

Algae Extract

Emollient
May worsen Oily Skin Icon

Plankton Extract

Skin Conditioning

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Skin Conditioning

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Yeast Extract

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Cleansing
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ergothioneine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Lactis Proteinum

Skin Conditioning

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Micrococcus Lysate

Skin Conditioning

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride

Skin Conditioning

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Isohexadecane

Emollient

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Emollient

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caffeine

Skin Conditioning

Glycine Soja Protein

Emulsifying

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Acetyl Glucosamine

Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Glycyrrhetinic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Tromethamine

Buffering

Polysorbate 80

Emulsifying
0 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Sodium Rna

Skin Conditioning

Squalane

Emollient
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

PEG-8

Humectant

Lecithin

Emollient

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Tin Oxide

Abrasive
Exfoliant Icon

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

CI 19140

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 14700

Cosmetic Colorant
2 / 1

CI 77891

Cosmetic Colorant

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Calcium Chloride

Astringent

Sea Whip Extract

Skin Conditioning

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Learn more about Dimethicone
Buffering

Sodium 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 Hydroxide
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.

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 EDTA
Skin Conditioning

Peg-10 Dimethicone is silicone with conditioner and emulsifier properties. It mostly acts as an emollient in skincare and and humectant in haircare.

According to the manufacturer, acidic formulations decrease the stability of this ingredient. It works best in neutral or near neutral formulations.

When to use

27 Routines
44% use in am
56% use in pm
96% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
7 Routines
43% use in am
57% use in pm
71% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Hydrating Serum 20 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating
Expensive (1) Hydrating (1) Light (1)
mariadelosangelescerda's avatar
Review

It was the first serum I ever used. It helped a lot with my dry, dehydrated skin. But after a while I felt like moving on because I realized I could have the same job done with a good moisturizer. Plus, it got really expensive.

#expensive
#hydrating
#light

Clinique Smart Custom-Repair Serum 66 ingredients

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