Skin science article
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream Versus Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream Versus Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5% This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This hydrating serum is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hy
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream Versus Naturium Quadruple Hyaluronic Acid Serum 5%
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Serine
Glycine
Alanine
Threonine
Arginine
Proline
Lysine Hcl
Glutamic Acid
Sodium PCA
PCA
Sodium Lactate
Urea
Sodium Chloride
Citric Acid
Betaine
Allantoin
Fructose
Maltose
Trehalose
Glucose
Pentylene Glycol
Synthetic Beeswax
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Dimethiconol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Caprylyl Glycol
Sodium Hydroxide
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Beeswax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Propanediol
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Magnolol
Kaempferol
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Glycolipids
Glycine Soja Sterols
Tocopheryl Acetate
Phenoxyethanol
Sorbitan Palmate
Potassium Sorbate
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Xanthan Gum
Hexylene Glycol
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apricot Kernel Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnolol, Kaempferol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Palmate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Glycerin (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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!