Are They Dupes? Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream VS Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

Last Updated on November 8, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

I dig a good Hyaluronic Acid moisturizer. There’s nothing like it to keep skin supple and glowing all day long. HA quenches the thirst of dry skin, hydrates oily skin without turning it into a greasy mess and is gentle enough for sensitive skin, too. The IT Hyaluronic Acid moisturiser of the moment is probably Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream. The soft, cloud-like texture is unreal! But what if you don’t feel like forking out $54.00 for it? Word on the street is that Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is the perfect dupe – and it’ll set you back only $19.99. Here’s how they compare:

What Do These Hyaluronic Acid Moisturisers Have In Common?

HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN

Both Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream and Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel use Sodium Hyaluronate, a close cousin of Hyaluronic Acid that’s better able to penetrate skin. It does the same thing: it acts like a magnet, attracting water from the air and the deeper layers of the skin and dumping it into the surface layers. It’s so powerful, it can bind up to 1000 times its weight in water!

Your skin loves all that extra moisture. Moisture plumps up skin so fine lines and wrinkles look smaller, makes skin softer to the touch and gives it a dewy, as if lit-from-within glow. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream has the upper hand here. It uses 3 molecular sizes of hyaluronic acid to make sure every layer of skin is perfectly hydrated all day long.

Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type

SILICONES TO FILL IN FINE LINES AND WRINKLES

I hear ya! You don’t like silicones. But I’m still going to make a case for them. Hear me out: Silicones like Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane don’t have any long term benefits for the skin. They don’t have antioxidant or soothing properties that helps your skin age better. Yet, they’re more useful than you think.

Think of silicones as quick fixes. Retinol, vitamin C and co take their sweet time to work. In the meantime, you need something to make your wrinkles look smaller. That’s a job for silicones. They fill in fine lines and wrinkles and even smoothen out pores, so they look smaller to the naked eye. While they’re at it, they also create a barrier on the skin that keeps moisture in. FYI, this barrier IS breathable.

Silicones have a particular molecular structure made up of large molecules with wide gaps between them. Skin can perspire – and actives like retinol can get still get – through those gaps. One more thing: silicones give a texture its slip and makes it glide smoothly on the skin. A lot of products would be a lot grittier/heavier without them. I don’t mind silicones in my skincare products – when they have a reason to be there and don’t make up the bulk of the formula.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream uses them the right way: it has just enough silicones to make it a pleasure to use. I can’t say the same for Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel. Once you take out Hyaluronic Acid and the odd preservatives, silicones are pretty much all you’re left with.

Related: Are Silicones Really Bad For Skin?

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What Else Is In These Hyaluronic Acid Moistruisers?

PETER THOMAS ROTH WATER DRENCH HYALURONIC CLOUD CREAM

• Water/Aqua/Eau: It’s literally just water. Every skincare product needs a base to dissolve all the other stuff in, and water does that job.
• Glycerin: Think of this as a moisture magnet. It grabs water from the air and pulls it into your skin to keep it hydrated and plump looking.
• Dipropylene Glycol: This is a solvent, which basically means it helps all the different ingredients play nice together and helps them sink into your skin instead of just sitting on top.
• Yeast Extract: Yeah, like the stuff you use to make bread rise. Turns out it’s packed with vitamins and amino acids that help make your skin barrier stronger.
• Ceramide AP: This is a type of fat that’s naturally found in your skin. When you add more of it, it helps patch up your skin barrier so moisture doesn’t leak out and your skin stays protected.
• Ceramide EOP: Just another type of ceramide doing basically the same thing as Ceramide AP. Your skin has different types and they all work together to keep your barrier healthy.
• Ceramide EOS: Yep, another one. These ceramides are like the mortar between bricks in your skin barrier, filling in gaps and keeping everything sealed up tight.
• Ceramide NP: More ceramides because your skin barrier needs a whole team of them to work properly and stay strong against environmental damage.
• Ceramide NS: And another ceramide for the collection. They all slightly differ in structure but work together to maintain that protective barrier.
• Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract: Fancy name for elderberry extract. It’s loaded with antioxidants that help protect your skin from pollution and other crap in the environment.
• Sodium PCA: This is something your skin already makes naturally. It’s part of your skin’s natural moisturizing system and helps grab onto water to keep your skin hydrated.
• Tocopherol: This is vitamin E, and it’s an antioxidant that fights off free radicals that damage your skin. It also helps condition your skin so it feels softer.
• Saccharide Isomerate: It’s a sugar molecule from plants that sticks to your skin really well and keeps it moisturized for hours, even after you wash your face.
• Caprooyl Phytosphingosine: This is a lipid that helps calm down inflammation and works on repairing your skin barrier. It’s got some antimicrobial properties too.
• Caprooyl Sphingosine: Similar to the one above, it’s a lipid that supports your skin barrier and has some ability to fight off bacteria and other microbes.
• Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment: They take yeast and ferment it with iron, and what you get is something that acts as an antioxidant and can help wake up your skin cells.
• Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment: Same fermentation process but with copper instead. This one’s also an antioxidant and might help your skin heal faster.
• Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment: Fermented yeast with silicon that can help make your skin texture better and a bit firmer.
• Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment: Yeast fermented with magnesium that helps support how your skin cells function and can have a calming effect.
• Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment: Yeast plus zinc gives you anti-inflammatory benefits and helps kill bacteria, which is good for keeping your skin clear.
• Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract: Extract from olive leaves that’s packed with antioxidants and helps calm down inflammation in your skin.
• Cholesterol: Yep, the same cholesterol you hear about with heart health. In your skin, it’s actually a good thing that helps repair your barrier and keeps it flexible.
• Citric Acid: This is an acid from citrus fruits that adjusts the pH of the product so it matches your skin. It can also gently exfoliate dead skin cells.
• Sodium Citrate: Works with citric acid to keep the pH balanced in the formula so it doesn’t irritate your skin.
• Methyl Gluceth-20: A sugar-based ingredient that pulls moisture into your skin and makes the product texture better.
• Sodium Chloride: It’s literally salt. Table salt. They use it here to make the product thicker.
• Trisiloxane: A type of silicone that evaporates quickly after you apply it, so it leaves your skin feeling smooth without any greasy residue.
• Propylene Glycol: This helps other ingredients absorb into your skin and adds moisture. Some people with really sensitive skin can get irritated by it though.
• Ceteareth-25: An emulsifier that makes oil and water ingredients mix together instead of separating into layers.
• Potassium Sorbate: A preservative that stops mold and yeast from growing in the product so it doesn’t go bad.
• Sodium Benzoate: Another preservative that keeps bacteria and fungi from contaminating the formula.
• Behenic Acid: A fatty acid that softens your skin and helps keep the formula stable so it doesn’t separate.
• Butylene Glycol: Helps your skin absorb ingredients better and adds hydration. It’s also a solvent that helps everything mix together.
• Cetyl Alcohol: Don’t freak out about the word alcohol. This is a fatty alcohol that actually moisturizes your skin and makes the product thicker.
• Ethylhexylglycerin: Helps preserve the product and also makes it feel nicer on your skin when you apply it.
• Mica: A shimmery mineral that gives the product a subtle glow or pearly look.
• Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that stops bacteria and fungi from growing in the formula. Some people can have an allergic reaction to it but it’s pretty rare.

NEUTROGENA HYDRO BOOST WATER GEL

• Water: It’s literally just water. Every skincare product needs a base to dissolve all the other stuff in, and water does that job.
• Glycerin: Think of this as a moisture magnet. It grabs water from the air and pulls it into your skin to keep it hydrated and plump looking.
• Phenoxyethanol: A preservative that stops bacteria and fungi from growing in the formula. Some people can have an allergic reaction to it but it’s pretty rare.
• Polyacrylamide: This is a synthetic polymer that acts like a thickener and helps the product have a nice gel-like consistency that spreads easily.
• Cetearyl Olivate: An emulsifier made from olive oil that helps mix the water and oil parts of the formula together so they don’t separate into layers.
• Sorbitan Olivate: Works together with Cetearyl Olivate as an emulsifying team. It’s also derived from olive oil and helps stabilize the formula.
• C13-14 Isoparaffin: A synthetic oil that helps the product spread easily and gives it a light, non-greasy texture when you apply it.
• Chlorphenesin: A preservative that keeps bacteria from growing in the product so it stays fresh and safe to use.
• Carbomer: A thickening agent that turns liquid into gel. It’s what gives products that nice, bouncy gel texture.
• Laureth-7: A surfactant that helps ingredients mix together and can also help other ingredients penetrate your skin better.
• Ethylhexylglycerin: Helps preserve the product and also makes it feel nicer on your skin when you apply it.
• Fragrance: Added scent to make the product smell nice. This is the ingredient most likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions, especially if you have sensitive skin.
• C12-14 Pareth-12: An emulsifier and surfactant that helps keep all the ingredients mixed together in the formula.
• Sodium Hydroxide: This is basically lye, but don’t panic. In skincare it’s used in tiny amounts to adjust the pH of the product so it’s not too acidic for your skin.
• Blue 1: A synthetic blue dye that gives the product color. It’s purely cosmetic and doesn’t do anything for your skin.

WHICH FORMULA IS BETTER?

There’s a reason Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is so cheap: you get Hyaluronic Acid and nothing else. It’s the norm for drugstore skincare, by the way. They have to keep the price down somehow. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream goes two steps further: it also has ceramides and antioxidants.

Let’s start with ceramides. Your skin already has plenty of them. They’re part of the glue that holds skin cells together. The more ceramides your skin has, the stronger its protective barrier is. A strong protective barrier is better able to withstand attacks from cold weather, UV rays, pollution and all other skin enemies. It also helps moisture stay in, keeping skin soft and supple.

If you have dry/sensitive skin, your protective barrier is already weak. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream is the better option for you. Just don’t rely on the antioxidants. This moisturizer may have its fair share but the jar packaging won’t keep them stable for too long. Antioxidants go bad when exposed to light and air – ie. every time you open the jar. To give your antioxidants their best fighting chance, close that lid quickly!

Related: Are Ceramides The Key To Healthy Skin?

What’s The Texture Like?

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream is light and fluffy. Seriously feels like you’re smooshing a cloud on your face. It’s all whipped up and airy, melts right in, doesn’t just sit there being heavy and annoying. Your skin feels smooth after, not greasy or anything.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel is this bouncy jelly stuff. Totally different. It jiggles in the jar which is weirdly satisfying. Feels cool when you put it on, sinks in stupid fast, like your skin just gulps it down. Doesn’t leave any residue or anything, just hydration and done.

What’s The Fragrance Like?

Peter Thomas Roth has no fragrance. Barely smells like anything at all, maybe a tiny whiff of the actual ingredients but you won’t notice once it’s on.

Neutrogena has fragrance added. Some people think it smells nice, whatever. But fragrance is literally the top thing that pisses off people’s skin. If your skin’s sensitive or you’ve got rosacea or eczema or anything like that, fragrance can irritate you.

What’s The Packaging Like?

Both come in blue jars. Pretty basic but they look cute on your bathroom counter. You can see how much you’ve got left which is nice I guess. But jars are kinda gross when you think about it because every time you dip your fingers in, you’re getting bacteria in there. Yeah even with clean hands. That’s just how it works with jar packaging and it’s annoying.

The other shitty thing about jars is they let air and light get to the product every single time you open them. For Peter Thomas Roth this actually matters because it’s got antioxidants that start dying the second they hit air. So like three months in, those antioxidants aren’t doing shit anymore. They’re just sitting there degraded and useless. Neutrogena doesn’t have this problem because it doesn’t have any fancy anti-aging stuff to ruin. It’s just hydration so the jar doesn’t fuck it up.

How To Use Them

In the morning put this on after your serum and before sunscreen. So like wash your face, maybe toner if you’re into that, serum, then one of these, then SPF. That’s it.

At night it’s your last step because obviously you’re not putting sunscreen on before bed. Do everything else first – cleanser, treatments, serums, whatever – then finish with this to lock it all in while you sleep.

Which Of The Two Should You Go For?

It depends on your skin type and needs:

Go for Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream if:

• You have dry skin and need to strengthen your protective barrier
• You want to keep silicones in your skincare products to the minimum necessary

Go for Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel if:

• You are on a tight budget and don’t need anything extra
• You have oily, resistant skin

Price & Availability

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream ($54.00): available at Beauty Bay, Cult Beauty, Sephora and Ulta

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel ($26.99): available at Ulta

Is Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel A Dupe For Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream?

I wouldn’t call Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel a dupe for Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream. It’s a more basic version that gives you an extra burst of moisture and nothing more. But if you have oily skin and are on a tight budget, it’ll do.