Skin science article
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb Versus COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb Versus COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Panthenol to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Snail Se
Belif Moisturizing Eye Bomb Versus COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Panthenol to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Dipropylene Glycol
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Squalane
Cyclopentasiloxane
Caprylyl Trimethicone
Dimethicone
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Sucrose Polystearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Panthenol
PCA Dimethicone
Triethylhexanoin
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
C14-22 Alcohols
Silica
Ceramide NP
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Cedrol
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol
Carbomer
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Tromethamine
Polysorbate 60
Glycereth-20
Cellulose
Trisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Bakuchiol
Caffeine
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Nepeta Cataria Extract
Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract
Stellaria Media Extract
Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Rosa Damascena Flower Extract
Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract
Viola Tricolor Extract
Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
Menyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Sodium Lactate
Polysorbate 20
Caprylyl Glycol
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Limonene
Citronellol
Geraniol
Citral
Linalool
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sucrose Polystearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, PCA Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, C14-22 Alcohols, Silica, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cedrol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Carbomer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Polysorbate 60, Glycereth-20, Cellulose, Trisodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Bakuchiol, Caffeine, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Flower Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Menyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Linalool
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Niacinamide
Palmitic Acid
Arginine
Stearic Acid
Betaine
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Allantoin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Adenosine
Xanthan Gum
Myristic Acid
Copper Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Water, Palmitic Acid, Arginine, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (also known as Argireline) is a synthetic hexapeptide that is often called a "topical Botox alternative".
It works by mimicking how Botox relaxes muscles; it interferes with the signaling process that tells your facial muscles to contract. This can help soften expression lines like forehead wrinkles or crow's feet over time.
The comparison to Botox does have limits because the molecule is water-loving and relatively large.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 has a hard time absorbing deeply enough through the skin's outer barrier to actually reach the muscles.
So whether it truly works the way Botox does at a biological level is still up for debate, but early clinical outcomes are fairly encouraging.
A 12 week human study of a multi-ingredient regimen containing this ingredient saw:
While some studies have observed improvements in wrinkle appearance, it is important to note that more consistent results are seen in multi-ingredient formulations (vs just Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 alone).
Some research studies also used higher concentrations (up to 10%) while this ingredient is usually found in concentrations up to 0.005% in leave-on formulations.
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.
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.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
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.
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!