Skin science article
boscia Indigo Eye Cream Versus Summer Fridays Light Aura Vitamin C + Peptide Eye Cream
boscia Indigo Eye Cream Versus Summer Fridays Light Aura Vitamin C + Peptide Eye Cream This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin. This bri
boscia Indigo Eye Cream Versus Summer Fridays Light Aura Vitamin C + Peptide Eye Cream
This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Propanediol
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Cetyl Alcohol
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Behenyl Alcohol
Myristyl Myristate
Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Persea Gratissima Oil
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Colocasia Esculenta Root Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Butylene Glycol
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Tocopherol
Hexylene Glycol
Xanthan Gum
Isohexadecane
Glyceryl Stearate
Polysorbate 80
PEG-100 Stearate
Mica
CI 77891
Water, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Colocasia Esculenta Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Isohexadecane, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 80, PEG-100 Stearate, Mica, CI 77891
Pentylene Glycol
Coco-Caprylate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Niacinamide
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Isostearyl Isostearate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Caffeine
Allantoin
Phospholipids
Papaver Rhoeas Extract
Carica Papaya Leaf Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
Pisum Sativum Extract
Glucosamine Hcl
Silica
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Polyglycerin-3
Diheptyl Succinate
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Sorbitan Isostearate
Sodium Phytate
Glyceryl Caprylate
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Sodium Benzoate
Phenethyl Alcohol
Polysorbate 60
Water, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Persea Gratissima Oil, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Caffeine, Allantoin, Propanediol, Phospholipids, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Papaver Rhoeas Extract, Tocopherol, Carica Papaya Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Silica, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglycerin-3, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Mica, 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.
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
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
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.
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).
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.
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract is also known as Ivy Gourd Fruit Extract. It has skin conditioning properties.
The fruit is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and sterols that show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in vitro. This is because the fruit contains a thick mucilage that forms a protective and soothing layer on the skin's surface.
The extract itself has demonstrated antioxidant, soothing, and potential anti-allergy properties.
Most of this research is done in vitro and dedicated clinical studies on topical application are still limited.
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.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract is from the Neem tree. Neem trees originate from India.
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
The flowers of this tree are lilac colored.
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.
This ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
This ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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.