Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm Versus Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

This brightening serum is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Glycolic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

PEG-8 Beeswax

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Stearate

Sambucus Nigra Oil

PEG-60 Almond Glycerides

Silica

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax

Glycerin

Lecithin

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Linalool

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Geraniol

Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax

Rosa Multiflora Flower Wax

Tocopherol

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil

Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen

Limonene

Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil

Parfum

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Menthol

Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil

Citral

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-8 Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sambucus Nigra Oil, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Silica, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Glycerin, Lecithin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Linalool, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Geraniol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Rosa Multiflora Flower Wax, Tocopherol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Limonene, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Parfum, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Menthol, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Citral, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Water

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Glycine Soja Sterols

Sodium Phytate

Acetamidoethoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Jojoba Esters

Glycolic Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Chlorphenesin

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Saccharide Isomerate

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil

Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil

Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, PEG-8 Beeswax, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Glycine Soja Sterols, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glycolic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol

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.

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.

Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.

It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".

Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.

When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.

The term '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.

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

PEG-8 Beeswax isn't fungal acne safe.

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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