Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Versus e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Face Cream

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Versus e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Face Cream

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Squalane to soften the look of wrinkles 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

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract

Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Tocopherol

Phenoxyethanol

Polyacrylate-13

Stearic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Polyisobutene

Parfum

Citric Acid

Chlorphenesin

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Disodium EDTA

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde

Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Linalool

Citronellol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Cuminum Cyminum Seed Oil

Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil

Limonene

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Acacia Decurrens Flower Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Polyisobutene, Parfum, Citric Acid, Chlorphenesin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Citronellol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cuminum Cyminum Seed Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Limonene

Isohexadecane

Stearyl Heptanoate

Butylene Glycol

Isopropyl Isostearate

Niacinamide

Cetearyl Olivate

Trehalose

Squalane

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Silica

Sodium Hyaluronate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Panthenol

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Polyethylene

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Carbomer

Water, Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Trehalose, Squalane, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyethylene, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer

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.

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.

Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.

Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.

Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers

Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.

It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.

Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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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