Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm Versus Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm Versus Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter

This oil-based makeup remover is made to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and daily buildup.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides

PEG-8 Beeswax

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Stearate

Sambucus Nigra Oil

PEG-60 Almond Glycerides

Parfum

Silica

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax

Glycerin

Lecithin

Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

Phenoxyethanol

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Citronellol

Geraniol

Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax

Rosa Multiflora Flower Wax

Tocopherol

Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Benzyl Salicylate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Rose Extract

Pelargonium Graveolens Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Rosa Damascena Extract

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-8 Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sambucus Nigra Oil, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Parfum, Silica, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Glycerin, Lecithin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Rosa Multiflora Flower Wax, Tocopherol, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rose Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Water

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Polysorbate 80

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydroxyacetophenone

Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil

Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment

Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate

Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil

Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment

Sodium Hydroxide

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Beta-Carotene

Capsanthin/Capsorubin

Butylene Glycol

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polysorbate 80, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Beta-Carotene, Capsanthin/Capsorubin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic 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.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

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.

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