Clinique All About Eyes Versus First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Eye Cream with Triple Hyalurionic Acid

Clinique All About Eyes Versus First Aid Beauty Skin Lab Retinol Eye Cream with Triple Hyalurionic Acid

This eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Phytosphingosine to hydrate skin.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Cyclopentasiloxane

Water

Isostearyl Palmitate

Polyethylene

Butylene Glycol

Polysilicone-11

Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Morus Bombycis Root Extract

Caffeine

Phytosphingosine

Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Whey Protein

Olea Europaea Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Cholesterol

Linoleic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Pyridoxine Dipalmitate

Sucrose

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Glyceryl Laurate

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Petrolatum

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

Propylene Carbonate

Sodium Chloride

Quaternium-90 Bentonite

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Isostearyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Caffeine, Phytosphingosine, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Whey Protein, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine Dipalmitate, Sucrose, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Laurate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polymethyl Methacrylate

Squalane

Glyceryl Stearate

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Polysorbate 20

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Retinol

Ceramide Ng

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Tocopherol

Allantoin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Atelocollagen

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder

Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides

Palmitic Acid

Oleic Acid

Stearic Acid

Triolein

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Lecithin

Sodium Polyacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Caprylyl Glycol

Mica

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin)

Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer

Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Steareth-30

Dipropylene Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Tin Oxide

Citric Acid

CI 77891

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Glycerin, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinol, Caffeine, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Atelocollagen, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Linoleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Triolein, Cholesterol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lecithin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polysilicone-11, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Mica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin), Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyethylene, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Steareth-30, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Tin Oxide, Citric Acid, CI 77891

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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.

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.

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.

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

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.

Linoleic Acid is also known as Vitamin F. It is a fatty acid with emollient and skin conditioning properties.

Our top layer of skin, or epidermis, naturally contains high amounts of linoleic acid.

Your body uses linoleic acid to build ceramides and prostaglandins. Ceramides keep your skin's barrier hydrated and strong while prosaglandins help control inflammation and healing.

Needless to say, linoleic acid is crucial for having a strong skin barrier.

One study found applying linoleic acid rich sunflower oil to be more effective at repairing the skin barrier than olive oil.

This ingredient can also help treat acne by softening sebum to prevent clogged pores. Another study found using 2.5% linoleic acid gel for 4 weeks showed a 25% reduction in small comedones.

Studies show it can also help lighten hyperpigmentation or sun spots by disrupting the melanin production process. It also helps your skin shed melanin pigment from your skin caused by UV exposure.

Due to its role in the production of the fatty acid prostaglandin, linoleic acid can also help reduce inflammation and support wound healing.

Fun fact: Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid. This means our bodies cannot create it on its own and we need to get it through foods such as nuts and vegetable oils.

Just know this ingredient is not always fungal-acne safe because it is a long-chain fatty acid (with 18 carbon atoms) that directly feeds the Malassezia yeast responsible for fungal acne.

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

According to research, MAP has three major benefits:

While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.

In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.

Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.

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.

Polyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.

It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.

Polysilicone-11 is a film-forming silicone that creates a non-tacky and matte finish on the skin. It's commonly used to improve texture, absorb excess oil, and help active ingredients spread evenly.

Due to its "rubber-like" structure, it stays on the skin's surface instead of being absorbed. On the skin, it creates a flexible layer that enhances wearability and stability.

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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