Clinique Moisture Surge Eye 96-Hour Hydro-Filler Concentrate Versus Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream with Acerola Cherry

Clinique Moisture Surge Eye 96-Hour Hydro-Filler Concentrate Versus Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream with Acerola Cherry

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to soften the look of wrinkles.

This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate and Caffeine to fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

Phenyl Trimethicone

Sucrose

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Hypnea Musciformis Extract

Trehalose

Algae Extract

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Acetyl Glucosamine

Gelidiella Acerosa Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water

Sorbitol

Cholesterol

Niacinamide

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Sodium Polyaspartate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Hydrolyzed Rice Extract

Caffeine

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tocopheryl Acetate

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

PEG-7m

Dextrin Palmitate

Dehydroxanthan Gum

Sodium Hyaluronate

Pentaerythrityl Adipate/Caprate/Caprylate/Heptanoate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Carbomer

PEG-8

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Triethoxycaprylylsilane

Disodium EDTA

Sodium Citrate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

BHT

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

CI 42090

CI 19140

CI 77491

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sucrose, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Trehalose, Algae Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Sorbitol, Cholesterol, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Sodium Polyaspartate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Caffeine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-7m, Dextrin Palmitate, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Adipate/Caprate/Caprylate/Heptanoate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Carbomer, PEG-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 42090, CI 19140, CI 77491

Diisostearyl Malate

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Pentylene Glycol

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Phytosterols

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

3-Glyceryl Ascorbate

Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract

Linoleic Acid

Phospholipids

Bisabolol

Helianthus Annuus Extract

Physalis Angulata Extract

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Tocopherol

Hexamidine Diisethionate

Sodium Phytate

Melia Azadirachta Extract

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Hydroxide

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Diisostearyl Malate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Phytosterols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 3-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Physalis Angulata Extract, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Tocopherol, Hexamidine Diisethionate, Sodium Phytate, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.

As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

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.

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.

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.

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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