Boots Glow Eye Cream Versus The [pH]ix Caffeine Eye Cream

Boots Glow Eye Cream Versus The [pH]ix Caffeine Eye Cream

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Tocopheryl Acetate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This calming eye moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Bisabolol to calm redness and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Isononyl Isononanoate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Tocopheryl Acetate

Carbomer

Phenoxyethanol

Methylparaben

Cetearyl Glucoside

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Chlorphenesin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Sodium Hydroxide

Isohexadecane

Disodium EDTA

Polysorbate 80

Sorbitan Oleate

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Propanediol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Polyacrylamide

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Bisabolol

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Caffeine

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Phytonadione Epoxide

Saccharide Isomerate

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Phytic Acid

Mannitol

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Laureth-7

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyacrylamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caffeine, Polysorbate 80, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytonadione Epoxide, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phytic Acid, Mannitol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Sodium Hydroxide

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.

Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).

Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.

Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.

While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.

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.

Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.

It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.

The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).

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.

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.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

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.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

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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