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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum versus SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum .

Last updated on February 02, 2024. Published on April 07, 2024

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Suited For

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

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

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

Serum Australian Brand Australia
Serum American Brand United States

Serum

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

Serum

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

Price

Shop

Buy Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum

Shop

Buy Alto Defense Serum

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

BHA
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

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

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C
Vitamin E (2)
Ceramides (3)
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (7)
Redness Reducing (6)
Reduces Irritation (5)
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (7)
Dark Spots (2)
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

WaterButylene GlycolPropanediolEthylhexyl OlivateCetearyl AlcoholChlorogenic AcidsHydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronateLauryl LactateDimethyl IsosorbideGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractAscorbyl TetraisopalmitateErgothioneineBenzylidene DimethoxydimethylindanoneArabidopsis Thaliana ExtractCarnosineCamellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractVitis Vinifera Seed ExtractTheobroma Cacao Seed ExtractCurcuma Longa Root ExtractOlea Europaea Fruit Extract Euterpe Oleracea Fruit ExtractTrifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2Buddleja Officinalis Flower ExtractCoffea Arabica Leaf Cell ExtractCrocus Sativus Leaf Cell Culture ExtractSuperoxide DismutaseUbiquinoneZingiber Officinale Root ExtractCeramide NPCeramide APCeramide EOPLinoleic AcidLinolenic AcidSea Whip ExtractBisabololTocopherolTocopheryl AcetateCholesterolPhytosphingosineJojoba EstersSodium PCAPentylene GlycolMethyl Gluceth-20GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed WaxAcacia Decurrens Flower WaxLecithinSodium Lauroyl LactylateDicetyl PhosphatePropanediol Dicaprylate/CapratePolyglycerin-3Ceteth-20 PhosphateDiisostearyl MalateXanthan GumSteareth-2Acacia Senegal GumCarbomerAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerDextranSodium HydroxideCitric AcidDisodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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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

Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
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

Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.

3
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid and is naturally occurring on human skin.

The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.

Sodium PCA is a has conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.

Learn more about Sodium PCA

Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.

SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum contains this as ingredient number 41.

4
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

Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.

SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum contains this as ingredient number 44.

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

79% are loved or liked
0% have mixed ratings
21% are disliked or very disliked
0% have no rating yet
45% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
19% are disliked or very disliked
22% 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

Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum 14 ingredients

Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum 64 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 1 rating
Expensive (1) Irritating (1)
AideeCantu's avatar

AideeCantu

2 months ago · Sensitive Skin
Review

Don’t like how it doesn’t spread easily on face

Used daily for three days and it made me itchy

Cut back to every other day and it made my...

Don’t like how it doesn’t spread easily on face

Used daily for three days and it made me itchy

Cut back to every other day and it made my cheeks red and warm; it ended up breaking my skin barrier

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 50 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Ultraceuticals Ultra B2 Hydrating Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to SkinBetter Science Alto Defense Serum.

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