Versus

Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream Versus Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

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

Updated on August 20, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free general moisturizers. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants, hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

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

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and 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

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

What's inside (and what isn't)

What's inside (and what isn't)

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream

Water

Skin Conditioning

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ethyl Macadamiate

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon
Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

Water

Skin Conditioning

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Isononyl Isononanoate

Emollient

Saccharide Isomerate

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ceramide NP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ceramide AP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ceramide EOP

Skin Conditioning
Ceramide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-9

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-11

Peptide IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment

Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment

Skin Conditioning

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Bacillus

Skin Conditioning

Trehalose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Taurine

Buffering

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Calcium Pantothenate

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Phytantriol

Humectant
2 / 2

Acetyl Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Urea

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Yeast Amino Acids

Humectant

Phytosphingosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Inositol

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Betaine

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Pyridoxine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Sucrose

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Algin

Masking
May worsen Oily Skin Icon

Pullulan

Maltodextrin

Absorbent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polysilicone-11

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Decyl Glucoside

Cleansing

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ethylhexyl Isononanoate

Emollient

Polyisobutene

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Absorbent

PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether

Emulsifying

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Disodium Phosphate

Buffering

Potassium Phosphate

Buffering

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

Emulsifying

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

CI 17200

Cosmetic Colorant
1 / 2

CI 14700

Cosmetic Colorant
2 / 1

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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 Water
Solvent

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin. 

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Learn more about Propanediol
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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
Preservative

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.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.

A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 
Masking

Algin is brown 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.

Algae contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.

Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of phospholipids.

This ingredient has emollient and emulsifying properties.

As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.

As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.

This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.

Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.

We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.

Learn more about Lecithin
Skin Conditioning

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.

When to use

4 Routines
25% use in am
75% use in pm
100% use every day
55 Routines
64% use in am
36% use in pm
100% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream 47 ingredients

Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel 70 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 2 ratings
Absorbs Well (1) Light (1) No Scent (1)
jillybean17's avatar

jillybean17

7 months ago
Review

This is my HG moisturizer! It works well with all my different routines & under makeup.

#light
#absorbs well
#no scent
#works well