Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream For Men Versus Clinique For Men Moisturizing Lotion

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream For Men Versus Clinique For Men Moisturizing Lotion

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Urea to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Isononyl Isononanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dimethicone

Phenoxyethanol

Polyacrylate-13

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Coco-Caprylate

Disodium EDTA

Xanthan Gum

Polyisobutene

Parfum

Tocopherol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Chlorphenesin

Citric Acid

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Butylene Glycol

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Collagen Amino Acids

Linalool

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coco-Caprylate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Polyisobutene, Parfum, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Collagen Amino Acids, Linalool, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Paraffinum Liquidum

Petrolatum

Glyceryl Stearate

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Urea

Lanolin Alcohol

Triethanolamine

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Helianthus Annuus Seedcake

Sodium Hyaluronate

Pentylene Glycol

Trisodium EDTA

CI 17200

CI 19140

CI 15985

Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 17200, CI 19140, CI 15985

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

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.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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