COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream Versus Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye

COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream Versus Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinal and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Butylene Glycol

Glycerin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

1,2-Hexanediol

Niacinamide

Water

Palmitic Acid

Arginine

Carbomer

Stearic Acid

Betaine

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Allantoin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Panthenol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Adenosine

Xanthan Gum

Myristic Acid

Copper Tripeptide-1

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Water, Palmitic Acid, Arginine, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Propanediol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Isododecane

Squalane

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Behenyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Microcrystalline Cellulose

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Phytosterols

Phenoxyethanol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Dimethicone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Tocopherol

Linoleic Acid

Ceramide NP

Cyclodextrin

Bisabolol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Lecithin

Retinal

Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Sodium Polyaspartate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Disodium EDTA

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

Cellulose

BHT

Sodium Hydroxide

Pentylene Glycol

Trihydroxystearin

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosterols, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cyclodextrin, Bisabolol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinal, Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Sodium Polyaspartate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cellulose, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Trihydroxystearin

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

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.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.

It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.

The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.

The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.

Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.

One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).

This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.

On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.

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.

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!

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.

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