Mary Kay Oil Free Hydrating Gel Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream
Updated on September 15, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both general moisturizers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils or sulfates
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
Mary Kay Oil Free Hydrating Gel 36 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream 15 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Mary Kay Oil Free Hydrating Gel 36 ingredients
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Gel Cream 15 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone used to improve texture and trap moisture. An easier name for this is D5.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
Camellia Sinensis Extract is from the oil in tea plant leaves. The leaves give us various types of tea: green, black, oolong, and white.
Algae Extract is derived from Algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
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.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.
Proline is an amino-acid. It helps moisturize the skin and plays an important role in creating proteins.
Arginine is an amino acid that is important for human development. Your body uses is it to produce hair keratin and skin collagen.
Glycine is an amino acid that helps build proteins. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.
Lysine is an essential amino acid. Your body is unable to produce it naturally and we mainly get lysine from food sources.
Glutamic Acid is an amino acid that is found in all living organisms. Our bodies use this to help nerve cells in the brain communicate with other cells.
Serine is an amino acid naturally found in our body. Our bodies use amino acids to create protein.
Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Benzophenone-4 is a water-soluble chemical sunscreen.
Triethanolamine is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
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.
Paraben 2 Concerns
Methylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
2 Concerns
DMDM Hydantoin has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is a preservative that works by slowly releasing formaldehyde over time.
Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Betaine, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Algae Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Proline, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Threonine, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polyacrylamide, Peg-12, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, Basic Violet 2, Curry Red
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.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
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.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
C12-14 Pareth-12 is created from a mixture of synthetic C12-14 alcohols that have about 12 moles of ethylene oxide.
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.
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterDimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
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 GlycerinPolyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideCarbomer 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.
Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
Laureth-7 is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
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.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
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