Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract 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

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

Cyclohexasiloxane

Squalane

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Sucrose Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

PEG-8 Stearate

Myristyl Myristate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Glyceryl Stearate

Oryza Sativa Bran Oil

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Palmitic Acid

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Carbomer

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Glycine Soja Oil

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Myristic Acid

Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine

BHT

Salicylic Acid

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, BHT, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.

Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.

Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.

Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.

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.

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.

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.

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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