Dot & Key Skincare Pomegranate Retinol + Caffeine Eye Cream Versus Minimalist Vitamin K + Retinal 01% Eye Cream

Dot & Key Skincare Pomegranate Retinol + Caffeine Eye Cream Versus Minimalist Vitamin K + Retinal 01% Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butylene Glycol

Dicaprylyl Ether

Siloxanetriol Alginate

Caffeine

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Lauryl Laurate

Glycerin

C14-22 Alcohols

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Stearyl Dimethicone

Octadecene

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Allantoin

Disodium EDTA

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hyaluronate

Retinol

Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract

Acetyl Tyrosine

Arbutin

Glutathione

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Methylsilanol Mannuronate

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Punica Granatum Seed Oil

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Benzyl Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Tocopherol

BHT

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Caffeine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Lauryl Laurate, Glycerin, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Stearyl Dimethicone, Octadecene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Acetyl Tyrosine, Arbutin, Glutathione, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, BHT

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Propanediol

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Brassica Glycerides

Diisopropyl Sebacate

Maltodextrin

Glyceryl Glucoside

Behenyl Alcohol

Phytonadione Epoxide

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Pentylene Glycol

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Zerumbone

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Dipeptide-2

Steareth-20

Chrysin

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Xanthan Gum

Retinal

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Phenoxyethanol

Carbomer

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Citric Acid

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Caffeine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Brassica Glycerides, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Phytonadione Epoxide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Zerumbone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Dipeptide-2, Steareth-20, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Xanthan Gum, Retinal, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

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.

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.

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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