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Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm Versus Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm Versus Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm 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

By Collagen & Peptide Nutrition Editorial TeamPublished

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm Versus Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm

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

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate

Synthetic Wax

Tocopheryl Acetate

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Caprylyl Glycol

Eugenol

Limonene

Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Eugenol, Limonene

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%.

Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.

Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.

Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.

Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).

Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.

Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.

Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. 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.

Similar Comparisons

SUPPLEMENTAL FIELD FILE

Notes to carry forward.

Source-derived references linked through this guide’s public topic markers.

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REFERENCE CARDS

Ingredients, lists & structured values

INGREDIENT LIST

Ingredients Explained

  • These ingredients are found in both products.
  • Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  • This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
  • Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
  • In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
  • Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
  • Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
  • While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
  • This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
  • This ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
  • The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
  • A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
  • Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
  • It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
  • Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
  • Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
  • Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
  • Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
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