Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Ultra-Rich Versus Cetaphil Moisturising Cream

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Ultra-Rich Versus Cetaphil Moisturising Cream

This moisturizer is formulated around Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil to hydrate skin.

This moisturizer is formulated around Petrolatum and Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil to hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables

Isononyl Isononanoate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Dimethicone

Cetearyl Alcohol

Coco-Caprylate

Polyacrylate-13

Phenoxyethanol

Stearic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Parfum

Lauryl Laurate

Sodium Benzoate

Xanthan Gum

Polyisobutene

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Potassium Sorbate

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Citric Acid

Tocopherol

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Disodium EDTA

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract

Linalool

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Citronellol

Geraniol

Limonene

Hydroxycitronellal

Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate, Polyacrylate-13, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Lauryl Laurate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Polyisobutene, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Potassium Sorbate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Linalool, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal

Petrolatum

Dicaprylyl Ether

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

PEG-30 Stearate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Benzyl Alcohol

BHT

Carbomer

Dimethiconol

Methylparaben

Propylene Glycol

Propylparaben

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-30 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Propylparaben, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate

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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.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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