Works for:
based on ingredients and %- Moisturizing
- Anti-blemish
- Anti-aging
- Evens skin tone
Can it cause trouble?
- Irritation risk: medium
- Comedogenic risk ingredients: 1
Key actives
Product Summary
Based on the ingredients included, "Elixir Cosmeceuticals - Balancing Hydration Cream" works well for moisturizing the skin. This moisturizer uses a good combo of humectants and emollients. These both types of ingredients are essentials for improving the skin hydration and keeping the skin barrier healthy. Saccharide isomerate and butylene glycol in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Shorea robusta seed butter, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol and coco-caprylate/caprate in this product help decrease the water evoporation from the skin, so that it stays hydrated for longer. These ingredients also soften the skin and take away the feeling of tightness and dryness.
Ingredient callouts
- We particularly like that there is a good concentration of Niacinamide (2.10% - 2.50%) in this moisturizer. Niacinamide is a well-studied multi-tasking active. It is a great ingredient to have in a moisturizer. It is stable, and can work well in almost any hydrating formulation. There is solid evidence that Niacinamide can help support skin barrier, regulate oil production and reduce acne and clogged pores. It also helps to fight photodamage and help improve the skin tone, reducing pigmentation marks.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be medium. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
Anti-aging
This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains niacinamide.
Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Anti-blemish
What does the product description say?
The product normalizes sebum production and reduces large pores with the help of the ingredient miniporyl, which acts as a vacuum cleaner on the pores.
Source: N/A
This product can help reduce breakouts and clogged pores because it contains the following ingredient: niacinamide. This ingredient is used for treating acne and can have a noticeable effect.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Evens skin tone
This product can help reduce hypepigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains the following effective ingredients: niacinamide
Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Moisturizing
What does the product description say?
Balancing Hydration Cream
Source: From product name
This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.
The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from
within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job:
saccharide isomerate, butylene glycol.
This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: caprylic/capric triglyceride, shorea robusta seed butter.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: niacinamide
Helps to softent the upper layer of the skin
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin without creating a greasy texture
Helps oil and water mix together while softening the upper layer of the skin
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
A plant oil that contains essential oils that can be irritating. Can help soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some anti-oxidant activity but evidence is lacking
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
How honest is this product?
| Promise | Can it deliver? |
|---|---|
| Moisturizing | |
| Anti-blemish |
Total Promises Fulfilled score: 100/100.
Potential irritants
Comedogenic ingredients
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| Product | Similarity | Price | Irritancy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Elixir Cosmeceuticals Balancing Hydration Cream | Current | - | |
Elixir Balancing hydration cream | 100% | - | |
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Key Actives
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
Helps to softent the upper layer of the skin
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin
Potential irritants
A plant oil that contains essential oils that can be irritating. Can help soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some anti-oxidant activity but evidence is lacking
Red clover flower extract. Can contain anti-oxidants but also potential irritant compounds
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Maintains the texture of skincare products. Allows the product to spread evenly. Helps oil and water mix together
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
Helps to control the skin's pH level. Maintains the skin's natural film of amino-lactic acids and oils. Helps to preserve products
Comedogenic ingredients
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
All ingredients
A good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin
Used to create a nice product texture and help delivery of other ingredients. Might be somewhat helpful in attracting water to the upper layer of the skin
Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin without creating a greasy texture
Helps oil and water mix together while softening the upper layer of the skin
Is proven to be effective in reducing blemishes, evening out skin tone and helping to improve lines and wrinkles. It helps the skin to repair sun damage, calm down inflammation and keep maintain good levels of moisture. The concentration of about 2% is effective for supporting the skin barrier and evening out the skin tone. Concentration of 4-6% is better for helping with acne and balancing the sebum production
A non-drying alcohol. Works as an emollient. Helps water and oil mix together and creates a nice product texture
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
A plant oil that contains essential oils that can be irritating. Can help soften the upper layer of the skin. Might have some anti-oxidant activity but evidence is lacking
Maintains the texture of skincare products. Allows the product to spread evenly. Helps oil and water mix together
A non-drying alcohol that works to soften the skin and stabilize product formulations helping oil and water mix together
Used to increase stability of product formulations
Can work as an exfoliant but is typically used to adjust the product pH
Helps to control the skin's pH level. Maintains the skin's natural film of amino-lactic acids and oils. Helps to preserve products
Red clover flower extract. Can contain anti-oxidants but also potential irritant compounds
Ingredient list view
Water, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Butylene glycol, Coco-caprylate/caprate, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Niacinamide, 2-hexanol, Cetearyl alcohol, Glyceryl stearate, Shorea robusta seed butter, Silybum marianum seed oil, Silica, Potassium palmitoyl hydrolyzed wheat protein, Saccharide isomerate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/c10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Cetyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Isopentyldiol, Sodium hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate, Citric acid, Sodium citrate, Trifolium pratense flower extract
- Safety Assessment of Alkyl Esters as Used in Cosmetics
- Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
- Gehring, W. (2004). Nicotinic acid/niacinamide and the skin. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 3(2), 88–93. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2130.2004.00115.x
- Tunisian Milk Thistle: An Investigation of the Chemical Composition and the Characterization of Its Cold-Pressed Seed Oils
- Fatty acids, essential oil and phenolics composition of Silybum marianum seeds and their antioxidant activities
- Safety Assessment of Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate as Used in Cosmetics