Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30 Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Skin Protection Fluid SPF 50

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30 Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Skin Protection Fluid SPF 50

This day moisturizer is formulated around Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract to calm irritation and reduce redness.

This chemical sunscreen covers most of the UV range, lighter on the deep UVA that drives aging.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Isononyl Isononanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dimethicone

Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

Phenoxyethanol

Polyacrylate-13

Butylene Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Octocrylene

Stearic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Coco-Caprylate

Xanthan Gum

Chlorphenesin

Polyisobutene

Parfum

Disodium EDTA

Lecithin

Tocopherol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Citric Acid

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Benzyl Benzoate

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Dipropylene Glycol

Citronellol

Geraniol

Hydroxycitronellal

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Limonene

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Octocrylene, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coco-Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Polyisobutene, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citric Acid, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil

Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Homosalate

Propylheptyl Caprylate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Undecane

Triheptanoin

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Tridecane

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

C9-12 Alkane

Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Cetyl Palmitate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sorbitan Palmitate

Gluconolactone

Sodium Citrate

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Phytate

Sorbitan Oleate

Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Collagen Amino Acids

Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum

Fructooligosaccharides

Phytic Acid

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Bioflavonoids

Glycoproteins

Water, Octocrylene, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Undecane, Triheptanoin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tridecane, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, C9-12 Alkane, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbitan Oleate, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Collagen Amino Acids, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Fructooligosaccharides, Phytic Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bioflavonoids, Glycoproteins

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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.

Also known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is an oil-soluble used to absorb the full spectrum of UVA rays (peak 357 nm).

It's one of the most effective UVA filters available but has a major caveat of photostability: avobenzone is susceptible to photodegradation.

This means it can lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight without the help of a stabilizing agent.

Studies show antioxidants (like vitamin E or vitamin C) and some UV filters (like octocrylene and Tinosorb S) can meaningfully improve its stability in a formulation.

The maximum allowable concentration according to regulation is 3% in the US + Canada, and 5% in the EU, Australia, China, Korea, and ASEAN countries.

It has a well-support safety profile: a comprehensive 2025 review found minimal toxicity with no evidence of carcinogenicity.

Overall, avobenzone is a safe and regulated ingredient used in sunscreen for over 40 years.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.

As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.

Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.

This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.

You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.

Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.

An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.

So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.

Octocrylene is an oil-soluble organic UV filter that mainly absorbs UVB and short wave UVA II light.

Its real superpower is teamwork: octocrylene is remarkably photostable and is most famous for stabilizing avobenzone (the workhorse UVA filter).

This ingredient is commonly used to enhance both UVB and UVA protection due to its unique property in stabilizing avobenzone. It also pulls double duty by boosting water resistance and giving formulas a smooth, spreadable feel.

The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has deemed octocrylene to be safe as a UV-filter at concentrations up to 10% (capped at 9% in propellant sprays). The US also permits it up to 10%.

Two things worth knowing:

You'll usually see this ingredient used in concentrations between 2-10% (higher amounts when used as a stabilizer for avobenzone).

We don't have a description for Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract yet.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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