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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion versus Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum .

Published on August 31, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 8 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid and 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 parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain common allergens, fragrances and oils

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

Essence British Brand United Kingdom
Serum American Brand United States

Essence

Essences are used to prep skin for further treatment and may provide extra skin benefits. They are usually used before serum and moisturizers. Essences are thought to have originated in either Japan or Korea and is an essential step in K-Beauty.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion

Starts at $28.00
Shop

Buy Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum

Starts at $24.50

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
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

Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Redness Reducing
Reduces Irritation
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

BHA
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (3)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Scar Healing (3)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (3)
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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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

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 1.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum 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

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 2.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.

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

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 3.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

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.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 5.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.

5
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

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

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 6.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.

6
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 16.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 20.

7
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 18.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

8
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion contains this as ingredient number 30.

Kiehl's Vital Skin-Strengthening Hyaluronic Acid Super Serum contains this as ingredient number 27.

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

29% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
52% are disliked or very disliked
10% have no rating yet
29% are loved or liked
3% have mixed ratings
55% are disliked or very disliked
13% 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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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 30 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Body Shop Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion.

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