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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 versus Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 .

Published on November 13, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both sunscreens. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances and silicones

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Sunscreen American Brand United States
Sunscreen German Brand Germany

Sunscreen

Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.

Sunscreen

Sunscreens help absorb or reflect UV radiation and protect skin against skin damage. Sunscreens may come in the form of lotion, gel, foam, spray, or solid-stick.

Price

Shop

Buy Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50

Starts at $10.98
Shop

Buy UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
50
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
spf rating
50

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Exfoliators
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

Chemical UV Filter (7)
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating
Anti-Aging
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin (3)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (6)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Water

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 1.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 2.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol and other additives. It has a low molecular weight and will evaporate quickly. This helps other ingredients become better absorbed and dry once applied.

Alcohol Denat. is volatile and may cause irritation. It helps draw out natural oils in skin and dry out your skin.

One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased irritation.

Alcohol is antibacterial by nature. This can help preserve products and increase their shelf life.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 3.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 7.

4
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

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.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 8.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 23.

5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

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.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 10.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 28.

6
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Disliked

Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.

Glyceryl Stearate is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.

As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.

In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced. The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 16.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 19.

7
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "Parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 17.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 36.

8
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 20.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 17.

9
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 24.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 contains this as ingredient number 25.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

23% are loved or liked
8% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
27% have no rating yet
19% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
58% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Lotion SPF 50 26 ingredients

2.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Heavy (1) Hydrating (1) Oily (1) Sticky (1)
CaroleD's avatar

CaroleD

4 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

If you have oily skin, do not use!

It is super greasy and it feels impossible to apply enough without ending up like a disco ball.

It...

If you have oily skin, do not use!

It is super greasy and it feels impossible to apply enough without ending up like a disco ball.

It somehow always ends up in my eyes and burns like mad.

If you have dry skin, you may find it very hydrating.

SabrinaPorteous_27's avatar

SabrinaPorteous_27

2 years ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Love the feeling and scent, but too harsh for face
I love the light and non-greasy feeling of this sunscreen as well as its scent (like the hydro...

Love the feeling and scent, but too harsh for face
I love the light and non-greasy feeling of this sunscreen as well as its scent (like the hydro boost water gel moisturizer); however, due to having sensitive skin, the formula is too harsh for my face. To keep it from going to waste, I've enjoyed using it as a body sunscreen.

Nivea UV Face Q10 Anti-age Sun Cream SPF 50 36 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 rating
AndreaAhumada's avatar

AndreaAhumada

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

Greasy for oily skin
A good thing is that it doesn't leave white cast (me being brown-skined) but can be a little too greasy for oily skin types,...

Greasy for oily skin
A good thing is that it doesn't leave white cast (me being brown-skined) but can be a little too greasy for oily skin types, which can be difficult to use the recommended amount without feeling very oily in the end.

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