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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator versus Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer .

Published on December 06, 2022

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain niacinamide

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

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

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

General Moisturizer American Brand United States
Day Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Day Moisturizer

Day Moisturizers are marketed to hydrate the skin during the daytime.

Price

Shop

Buy Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator

Starts at $13.69
Shop

Buy Level Up Balancing Moisturizer

Starts at $14.98

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
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Niacinamide

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
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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 Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 1.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Smoothing
Community Rating: Loved

Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.

It is known to treat acne by reducing inflammation. It also helps fade dark-spots and strengthen the skin by promoting the growth of the ceramide barrier.

Other benefits include smoothing wrinkles and minimizing redness.

The cherry on top? Niacinamide can also help build keratin, a protein that keeps skin firm.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

Niacinamide can be mixed with other ingredients to boost benefits. For instance, it has shown to be effective when used with copper, folic acid, and zinc to treat acne.

Learn more about Niacinamide

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 2.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 6.

3
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 Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 3.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.

4
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 Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 7.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 20.

5
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 Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 10.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 11.

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 17.

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

31% are loved or liked
23% have mixed ratings
46% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
41% are loved or liked
18% have mixed ratings
18% are disliked or very disliked
23% 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 Ultra Gentle Face Gel Hydrator 13 ingredients

3.0 /5
from 1 review
akberry's Avatar'
Feb 1, 2024

Good for my hands, not for my face. Doesn't worsen hormonal acne but clogs my pores and give me little superficial pimples.

Good for my hands, not for my face. Doesn't worsen hormonal acne but clogs my pores and give me little superficial pimples.

Great Value
Broke Me Out
Absorbs Well

Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer 22 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 reviews
eralinedoesstuff's Avatar'
Oct 8, 2023

great moisturiser for my dry asf skin

great moisturiser for my dry asf skin

Alternatives

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Our Dupe Finder has found 2 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Bubble Level Up Balancing Moisturizer.

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