Bad Habit Eyes Open Caffeine And Peptide Eye Cream Versus StriVectin Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS

Bad Habit Eyes Open Caffeine And Peptide Eye Cream Versus StriVectin Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 and Caffeine to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glycerin

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Dimethicone

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Pentylene Glycol

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Mica

Caffeine

Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract

Dunaliella Salina Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Panthenol

Saccharide Isomerate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Butylene Glycol

Coconut Alkanes

Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Chlorphenesin

Jojoba Alcohol

Potassium Jojobate

Steareth-20

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Bisabolol

Sodium Phytate

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Citric Acid

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Silica

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Sodium Hyaluronate

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Dipeptide-2

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Chrysin

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

T-Butyl Alcohol

Glucose

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Sodium Citrate

Pantolactone

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

Biotin

CI 77891

CI 77491

CI 16035

CI 19140

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Mica, Caffeine, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Coconut Alkanes, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Jojoba Alcohol, Potassium Jojobate, Steareth-20, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Bisabolol, Sodium Phytate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Citric Acid, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Glucose, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Citrate, Pantolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Biotin, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 16035, CI 19140

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Myristyl Nicotinate

Propanediol

Myristyl Myristate

Isocetyl Stearate

Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Stearyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone

Bacillus/Sea Salt Ferment Filtrate

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Adenosine

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Lecithin

1,2-Hexanediol

Fructose

Tocopherol

Glyceryl Caprylate

Behenyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Polysorbate 80

Cetyl Alcohol

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Polysilicone-11

Isohexadecane

Disodium EDTA

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

Resveratrol

Sorbitan Oleate

Xanthan Gum

Poloxamer 338

Aminomethyl Propanol

Tin Oxide

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Myristyl Nicotinate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Myristyl Myristate, Isocetyl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Bis-Stearyl Dimethicone, Bacillus/Sea Salt Ferment Filtrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Bisabolol, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Lecithin, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Fructose, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 80, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Pantolactone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Resveratrol, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Poloxamer 338, Aminomethyl Propanol, Silica, Mica, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.

It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.

A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.

In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.

You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.

In cosmetics, it plays several roles:

The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.

This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.

It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.

Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.

This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.

Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.

Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.

The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).

In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.

So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.

It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.

Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.

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.

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.

We don't have a description for Dunaliella Salina Extract yet.

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.

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.

Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.

Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.

This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.

Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.

This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.

It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.

The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.

This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.

Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.

On the fungal acne front: Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Pantolactone is a synthetically created humectant.

As a humectant, Pantolactone helps draw moisture to the skin. It can help add hydration to your skin.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

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!

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