B. Skincare Smoothing Eye Cream Versus Superdrug Me+ Caffeine Eye Cream

B. Skincare Smoothing Eye Cream Versus Superdrug Me+ Caffeine Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 and Panax Ginseng Root Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Coffea Arabica Seed Extract to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate

Propylene Glycol

Ethylhexyl Triazone

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Titanium Dioxide

Glycerin

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone

Butylene Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Parfum

Chlorphenesin

Sodium Hydroxide

Xanthan Gum

Palmaria Palmata Extract

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Alumina

Stearic Acid

Carbomer

Sodium Lactate

Polysorbate 20

Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Glycine Max Seed Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Citronellol

Limonene

CI 14700

CI 15985

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citronellol, Limonene, CI 14700, CI 15985

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Isopropyl Myristate

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Caffeine

Stearyl Alcohol

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Betaine

Caprylyl Glycol

Lecithin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Disodium EDTA

Tetrapeptide-21

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Caffeine, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Betaine, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrapeptide-21

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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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

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.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

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.

Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.

As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.

The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.

True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).

It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.

Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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