Dr. Althea To Be Youthful Eye Serum Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

Dr. Althea To Be Youthful Eye Serum Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Disiloxane

Methylpropanediol

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Vinyldimethicone

Raffinose

Phenyl Trimethicone

Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

1,2-Hexanediol

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

Dimethiconol

Trisiloxane

Panthenol

Arginine

Polyacrylate-13

Hydroxyacetophenone

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Betaine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Sorbitan Isostearate

Helichrysum Italicum Flower Water

Sodium Laurate

Lauric Acid

Beta-Glucan

Butylene Glycol

Tocopherol

Maltodextrin

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Citric Acid

Water, Disiloxane, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Vinyldimethicone, Raffinose, Phenyl Trimethicone, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Trisiloxane, Panthenol, Arginine, Polyacrylate-13, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Betaine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Water, Sodium Laurate, Lauric Acid, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Citric Acid

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Propanediol

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Behenate

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Jojoba Esters

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Squalane

Caffeine

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Phospholipids

Xanthan Gum

Glycine Soja Oil

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Phytate

Glycolipids

Glycine Soja Sterols

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Carbomer

Darutoside

Sodium Lactate

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Squalane, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Darutoside, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

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.

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.

Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.

As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.

In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.

Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.

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!

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