Dr. Barbara Sturm The Cleanser Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Cleanser Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some. This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin fe
Dr. Barbara Sturm The Cleanser Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser
This gel cleanser uses mild cleansing ingredients, but contains alcohol that may feel drying for some.
This mild gel cleanser is mild enough to cleanse without leaving skin feeling tight or stripped.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
Lauryl Glucoside
Glycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
Panthenol
Urea
Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract
Citric Acid
Benzyl Alcohol
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Sorbate
Salicylic Acid
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Tocopherol
Pantolactone
Sodium Benzoate
Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Panthenol, Urea, Lactobacillus/Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Salicylic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Pantolactone, Sodium Benzoate
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Xanthan Gum
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Chlorphenesin
Sodium Chloride
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Copper PCA
Maris Sal
Succinic Acid
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Lactic Acid
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Sodium Hydroxide
Zinc Gluconate
Magnesium Aspartate
Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Linalool
Lactobacillus Ferment
Citronellol
Geraniol
Copper Gluconate
Rhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Copper PCA, Maris Sal, Succinic Acid, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Linalool, Lactobacillus Ferment, Citronellol, Geraniol, Copper Gluconate, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
Lauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
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.
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!