Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Moisturizer With SPF 30 Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Vitamin E & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Moisturizer With SPF 30 Versus Neutrogena Hydro Boost Vitamin E & Hyaluronic Acid Serum

This brightening night moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Ascorbic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and soften the look of wrinkles.

This hydrating serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Dimethicone

Glycerin

PPG-15 Stearyl Ether

Cetearyl Alcohol

Stearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Ceteareth-20

Isohexadecane

Trisiloxane

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Polyacrylamide

Polyethylene

Parfum

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Chlorphenesin

Ptfe

Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract

Polysorbate 20

Retinol

BHT

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Disodium EDTA

Laureth-7

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Isohexadecane, Trisiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, Polyethylene, Parfum, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Ptfe, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, BHT, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Sodium Hydroxide

Propanediol

Pentylene Glycol

Niacinamide

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Chondrus Crispus Powder

Ceramide AP

1,2-Hexanediol

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tromethamine

Panthenol

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Agar

Gellan Gum

Tocopheryl Acetate

Algin

Sucrose

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Arginine

PCA

Serine

Alanine

Citric Acid

Threonine

Mourera Fluviatilis Extract

Titanium Dioxide

Mica

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Agar, Gellan Gum, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Algin, Sucrose, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Arginine, PCA, Serine, Alanine, Citric Acid, Threonine, Mourera Fluviatilis Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Mica

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.

Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

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).

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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.

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!

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