Plum Goodness Salicylic & Lactic Acid Skin-Smoothing Gel Moisturizer Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Crème
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingOpuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Carbomer, Glycerin, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Polyacrylamide
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 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