AHAVA pRetinol™ Eye Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream

AHAVA pRetinol™ Eye Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Glycolic Acid and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isodecyl Isononanoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glycerin

Caprylyl Methicone

C14-22 Alcohols

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

PEG-40 Stearate

Stearyl Dimethicone

Propanediol

Phenoxyethanol

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Glucoside

PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer

Mica

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

CI 77891

Silica

Sclerotium Gum

Lysolecithin

Chlorphenesin

Xanthan Gum

Glucose

Glycolic Acid

Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Corn Starch Modified

Silanetriol

Potassium Citrate

Zea Mays Starch

Citric Acid

CI 16035

Zea Mays Oil

Tocopherol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glucosyl Hesperidin

Pullulan

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract

Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract

Allantoin

Fructose

Niacinamide

Beta-Carotene

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Maris Aqua

Water, Isodecyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, C14-22 Alcohols, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Mica, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, CI 77891, Silica, Sclerotium Gum, Lysolecithin, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Glucose, Glycolic Acid, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Corn Starch Modified, Silanetriol, Potassium Citrate, Zea Mays Starch, Citric Acid, CI 16035, Zea Mays Oil, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Pullulan, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Allantoin, Fructose, Niacinamide, Beta-Carotene, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Maris Aqua

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Distearate

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

Cetearyl Olivate

Benzyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Olivate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Copernicia Cerifera Cera

Glycogen

Sodium Gluconate

Retinol

Polysorbate 20

Dehydroacetic Acid

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylyl Glycol

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Ethyl Ferulate

Humulus Lupulus Extract

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Propanediol, Glycogen, Sodium Gluconate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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