Essence Emily In Paris Hydrogel Eye Patches Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Hydro Gel Mask
Essence Emily In Paris Hydrogel Eye Patches Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Hydro Gel Mask This hydrating eye mask is formulated around Saccharide Isomerate and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This hydrating eye mask is formulate
Essence Emily In Paris Hydrogel Eye Patches Versus Elemis Pro-Collagen Hydro Gel Mask
This hydrating eye mask is formulated around Saccharide Isomerate and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This hydrating eye mask is formulated around Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Propylene Glycol
Carrageenan
Saccharide Isomerate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Polyglutamic Acid
Yeast Beta-Glucan
1,2-Hexanediol
Xanthan Gum
Hydroxyacetophenone
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Caprylyl Glycol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Tin Oxide
Phenoxyethanol
CI 77491
CI 77891
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Carrageenan, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Yeast Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77891
Ceratonia Siliqua Gum
Panthenol
Lactobacillus/Scutellaria Baicalensis Root/Camellia Sinensis Leaf/Artemisia Princeps Leaf/Houttuynia Cordata Leaf/Citrus Junos Fruit Extract Ferment Filtrate
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Maris Aqua
Plankton Extract
Disodium EDTA
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Potassium Hydroxide
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Butylene Glycol
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Water, Glycerin, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Carrageenan, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Lactobacillus/Scutellaria Baicalensis Root/Camellia Sinensis Leaf/Artemisia Princeps Leaf/Houttuynia Cordata Leaf/Citrus Junos Fruit Extract Ferment Filtrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Maris Aqua, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Plankton Extract, Disodium EDTA, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Carrageenan comes from red seaweed or algae. It is made up of polysaccharides and a highly flexible compound. Red algae cell walls are rich in carrageenan.
In cosmetics, it helps to thicken the texture. Studies show carrageenan extracted from red algae possess antioxidant properties. Components found in carrageenan include: lipids, fatty acids, Vitamin E, proteins, and several amino acids.
Learn more about different types of algae.
Carrageenan is also commonly used in medicine and food. It is a vegan alternative to animal-based gelatin.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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!