Skin science article
Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel Versus Tula Skincare Revitalizing Eye Cream
Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel Versus Tula Skincare Revitalizing Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around
Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel Versus Tula Skincare Revitalizing Eye Cream
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Bifida Ferment Lysate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Squalane
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Panthenol
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Tocopherol
Pentylene Glycol
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Lycopene
Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Caffeine
Acacia Senegal Gum
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
Carbomer
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Lecithin
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Silica
Phenoxyethanol
Potassium Sorbate
Citric Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lycopene, Vitis Vinifera Skin Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Acacia Senegal Gum, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
Butylene Glycol
Cetyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
PEG-8
Dimethicone
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Lactose
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Yogurt Powder
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Vegetable Oil
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Lactic Acid
Milk Protein
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil
Citrus Limon Fruit Oil
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Tribehenin
Ceramide Ng
PEG-10 Phytosterol
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Ethylhexylglycerin
Inulin
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate
Sodium Glycolate
Sorbic Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Phenethyl Alcohol
Parfum
Water, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, PEG-8, Dimethicone, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lactose, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Yogurt Powder, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Vegetable Oil, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lactic Acid, Milk Protein, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Carbomer, Tribehenin, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate, Sodium Glycolate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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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.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
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!