Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum versus e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer .
Published on June 21, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain 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.
Serum
Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 6 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Hyaluronic Acid • Hamamelis Virginiana Water • Glycerin • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf • Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Retinol • Tocopherol • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Propolis Extract • Centella Asiatica Extract • Equisetum Arvense Extract • Pelargonium Graveolens Oil • Taraxacum Officinale Extract • Pentylene Glycol • Hydroxyethyl Ethylcellulose • Carrageenan • Polysorbate 20 • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Alcohol • Lecithin • Ethylhexylglycerin
Water • Glycerin • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Butylene Glycol • Phenyl Trimethicone • Diisostearyl Malate • Jojoba Esters • Sodium Acrylates Copolymer • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate • Ceramide 3 • Ceramide 6 Ii • Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 • Ceramide 1 • Xylitylglucoside • Anhydroxylitol • Phenoxyethanol • Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters • Lecithin • Xylitol • Tromethamine • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Tocopherol • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Caprylyl Glycol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Xanthan Gum • Disodium EDTA • Saccharide Isomerate • Sodium Citrate • Citric Acid • Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate • Carbomer • Phytosphingosine • Polysorbate 20 • Cholesterol • Geraniol • Linalool • Parfum
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinTruSkin Retinol Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 2.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTruSkin Retinol Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 8.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 24.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 36.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help 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 help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Learn more about LecithinTruSkin Retinol Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 20.
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.
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum contains this as ingredient number 23.
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 27.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum 23 ingredients
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Hydro-gel Moisturizer 40 ingredients
ClaireLundberg
I like but don't love this moisturizer, although I'm on my second bottle. Despite having gel in the name, it's not a gel. It's a light cream...
I like but don't love this moisturizer, although I'm on my second bottle. Despite having gel in the name, it's not a gel. It's a light cream moisturizer that feels nice, has some nice anti-aging ingredients, and does what it says on the can. I wish it wasn't scented. I keep using it because I like the airless pump packaging and it's cheap.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 12 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to TruSkin Retinol Facial Serum.
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