Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream Fragrance Free Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Facial Moisturizer SPF 25
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSerine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantMaltose
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTropolone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Ceramide NP, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tropolone, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberHomosalate
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV AbsorberSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberSilica
AbrasivePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSteareth-21
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Caprylyl Methicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Steareth-21, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 42090, CI 16035
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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 HydroxideWater. 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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water