Works for
1 of 2 advertised claims delivered
Moisturizing17 ingredients credited for this claimStrong support
“Its micro-beads ideally calibrated are integrated in a creamy texture, complete care enriched in moisturizing agents*, soothing and nourishing.”
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:
glycerin, sodium hyaluronate.
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: beeswax, cera alba.
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
Exfoliation3 ingredients credited for this claimWeak support
“This gentle exfoliating care gets rid of dead cells and impurities that fade and interfere with the tone, and favors cell renewal to rebuild the superficial layers of the skin.”
This product does not contain effective exfoliating ingredients. It might be able to deliver physical exfoliation, that is scrub off some of the dead cells on the surface of the skin. We do not recommend physical exfoliation, because it is not uniform (some bits of skin can get exfoliated too much while others not at all). It can also traumatize the skin and aggrevate acne and other skin conditions.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy2 strong irritants: Parfum, Retinyl palmitateMedium risk
Comedogenic1 ingredient rated 2 or more on the 0–5 pore-clogging scale1 flagged
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Water~45–55%
Hydrogenated polyisobutene~5.6–6.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Used to improve the product consistency and soften the upper layer of the skin
More about Hydrogenated polyisobuteneCyclopentasiloxane~4.2–5.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A silicone that helps improve the product texture and spreadability. Can absorb oil creating a short-term mattifying effect on the skin
More about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin~3.1–3.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant
More about GlycerinBambusa arundinacea stem extract~2.3–2.9%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Glyceryl stearate~2–2.4%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An emollient that softens the skin and forms a protective layer on its surface. Helps water and oil mix together
More about Glyceryl stearatePeg-100 stearate~1.7–2.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps oil and water mix togehter and creates a nice product texture
More about Peg-100 stearatePolyacrylamide~1.5–1.8%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Used to improve product texture and help oil and water mix together
More about PolyacrylamideC13-14 isoparaffin~1.2–1.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps soften the upper layer of the skin, dissolve other ingredients and create a thicker product consistency
More about C13-14 isoparaffinCera alba~1.1–1.4%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
More about Cera albaBeeswax~0.75–1.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Forms a protective barrier that holds water and keeps dry skin hydrated. Keeps an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, and increases the thickness of a product. Can be an allergen
More about BeeswaxPanthenol~0.55–0.8%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolPropylene glycol~0.45–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- High
Helps oil and water mix together and can enhance the penetration of other ingredients into the skin. It can be irritating
More about Propylene glycol1,2-hexanediol~0.4–0.6%
Caprylyl glycol~0.45–0.65%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps preserve products and creates a nice product texture
More about Caprylyl glycolAllantoin~0.3–0.6%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps calm down inflammation in skin and can help reduce itching. Helps to repair the skin barrier and keep skin hydrated
More about AllantoinLaureth-7~0.35–0.65%
Butylene glycol~0.3–0.55%
- Irritation risk
- Low
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
More about Butylene glycolPeg-40 hydrogenated castor oil~0.3–0.55%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps oil and water mix together
More about Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oilDisodium edta~0.25–0.4%
Parfum~0.2–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
An aromatic blend of unspecified and possibly irritating ingredients
More about ParfumSodium hyaluronate~0.2–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin
More about Sodium hyaluronateLinoleic acid~0.3–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
An excellent emollient. Helps soften the skin, restore its barrier function, and can help to calm down inflammation. It can be helpful to prevent blemishes and clogged pores
More about Linoleic acidLinolenic acid~0.25–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An emollient that helps soften the skin and calm down inflammation
More about Linolenic acidTocopheryl acetate~0.2–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.
More about Tocopheryl acetateTropolone~0.2–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Glycine soja oil~0.2–0.35%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
- Comedogenicity
- 2/5
A good emollient that helps soften the skin and helps repair its barrier function. It can clog pores if used in high concentrations.
More about Glycine soja oilRetinyl palmitate~0.15–0.25%
- Irritation risk
- High
Three steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. To have an effect in the skin, it first needs to be converted twice to become the retinoic acid. This means it is less potent than retinol, but could also be less irritating. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, it helps against all signs of aging, improves skin cell turnover and helps fight blemishes and clogged pores. However, in many cosmetic formulations, it is used in a concentration that is too low to have the full effect
More about Retinyl palmitatePotassium sorbate~0.15–0.25%
Sodium benzoate~0.1–0.2%
Tocopherol~0.1–0.2%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself
More about TocopherolLactic acid~0.05–0.15%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
More about Lactic acidIngredient list view
Water, Hydrogenated polyisobutene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Bambusa arundinacea stem extract, Glyceryl stearate, Peg-100 stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 isoparaffin, Cera alba, Beeswax, Panthenol, Propylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Caprylyl glycol, Allantoin, Laureth-7, Butylene glycol, Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Disodium edta, Parfum, Sodium hyaluronate, Linoleic acid, Linolenic acid, Tocopheryl acetate, Tropolone, Glycine soja oil, Retinyl palmitate, Potassium sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Tocopherol, Lactic acid
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Product summary
Judging from the ingredient list, "Embryolisse - Exfoliate Cream" works well for improving skin hydration To work well, any moisturizer needs to include a combination of water-binding and emollient ingredients. Embryolisse - Exfoliate Cream ticks this box. Humectants in this product (panthenol, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, butylene glycol and caprylyl glycol) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Emollients in this formulation (glycine soja oil, linolenic acid, beeswax, cera alba and cyclopentasiloxane) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.
Ingredient callouts
- this moisturizer includes a form of retinoids (vitamin A) - retinyl palmitate 0.15% - 0.25%, but this type of vitamin A is not very effective. It could in theory help with fine lines and wrinkles, but the effect is most likely minimal.
- This formulation also includes panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) at about 0.55% - 0.80% concentration. In this concentration, panthenol works effectively to improve the skin barrier and reduce inflammation.
Irritation risk
This formulation includes some common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide 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.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Embryolisse" is cruelty free and so is its parent company.
Price
The product retails for 25.00$ in the United States.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 20 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2
- 3Safety Assessment of Isoparaffins as Used in Cosmeticsjournals.sagepub.com
- 4
- 5Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulationspdfs.semanticscholar.org
- 6
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