Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Marine Cream Versus Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer

Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Marine Cream Versus Obagi Hydrate Facial Moisturizer

This barrier-repair day moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Saccharide Isomerate 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

Phenoxyethanol

Polyacrylate-13

Cetyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Coco-Caprylate

Rosa Hybrid Flower Water

Xanthan Gum

Polyisobutene

Bentonite

Parfum

Tocopherol

Citric Acid

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Chlorphenesin

Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Disodium EDTA

Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Polysorbate 20

Sorbitan Isostearate

Citronellol

Geraniol

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Porphyridium Cruentum Extract

Collagen Amino Acids

Benzyl Salicylate

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Pelargonium Graveolens Oil

Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

Rosa Damascena Extract

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coco-Caprylate, Rosa Hybrid Flower Water, Xanthan Gum, Polyisobutene, Bentonite, Parfum, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chlorphenesin, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Collagen Amino Acids, Benzyl Salicylate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Extract

Cyclopentasiloxane

Glyceryl Stearate

Saccharide Isomerate

Polysilicone-11

Glycine Soja Sterols

Persea Gratissima Oil

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Hydrolyzed Soybean Fiber

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Caprylyl Glycol

Bisabolol

Allantoin

Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane

Panthenol

Carbomer

Hexylene Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Laureth-12

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Saccharide Isomerate, Stearic Acid, Polysilicone-11, Glycine Soja Sterols, Persea Gratissima Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Hydrolyzed Soybean Fiber, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Panthenol, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Laureth-12, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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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.

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%.

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.

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.

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!

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