Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Overnight Hair Serum Versus L'Oréal Professionnel Elvive Glycolic Gloss Leave-In Serum For Dull Hair
Updated on April 18, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe hair serums. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances, oils and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Overnight Hair Serum 16 ingredients
L'Oréal Professionnel Elvive Glycolic Gloss Leave-In Serum For Dull Hair 32 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Overnight Hair Serum 16 ingredients
L'Oréal Professionnel Elvive Glycolic Gloss Leave-In Serum For Dull Hair 32 ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Isododecane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
MaskingDimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-14 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polyacrylamide
Limonene
Perfuming
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
C13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Parfum
Masking
Isododecane, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Dimethiconol, Glycerin, PEG-14 Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Urea, CI 77891, CI 17200, CI 19140, Hydroxycitronellal, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polyacrylamide, Limonene, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tin Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Isoeugenol, Citronellol, Citral, Laureth-7, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycolic Acid, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Parfum
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 a solvent, texture enhancer, and emollient.
Solvents help other ingredients dissolve in a product. It adds a 'silky' texture to products and is thus considered a silicone alternative.
This ingredient feeds fungal-acne due to its 13-16 carbon chain.
Learn more about C13-16 IsoparaffinCI 19140 is also known as Tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic dye used in cosmetics, foods, and medicine to add a yellow color.
Tartrazine is created from petroleum and is water-soluble.
Some people may experience allergies from this dye, especially asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.
Learn more about CI 19140Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalHydroxycitronellal is a fragrance created from citronellal. The smell of hydroxycitronellal is often described as "citrus-like" or "melon-like".
Hydroxycitronellal is a known EU allergen and may cause irritation when applied to the skin.
Isoeugenol is a fragrance component that is naturally occurring in plants such as ylang-ylang, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Isoeugenol is a known EU allergen. This means it is known to cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
Laureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
