Skin science article
Dr.Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Capsule Eye Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream
Dr.Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Capsule Eye Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Propolis Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots. This anti-aging e
Dr.Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Capsule Eye Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Propolis Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Propolis Extract
Butylene Glycol
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
1,2-Hexanediol
Niacinamide
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Royal Jelly Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Cordyceps Sinensis Extract
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Spirodela Polyrhiza Extract
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Sodium Hyaluronate
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Glyceryl Glucoside
Panthenol
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Polyisobutene
Sodium Carbomer
Glycerin
Allantoin
Adenosine
Glucose
Sorbitan Oleate
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
Tocopherol
Silica
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Beta-Carotene
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Ethylhexylglycerin
Limonene
Citral
Water, Propolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Royal Jelly Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Spirodela Polyrhiza Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Glyceryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Polyisobutene, Sodium Carbomer, Glycerin, Allantoin, Adenosine, Glucose, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Silica, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Beta-Carotene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citral
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Cetearyl Olivate
Phenoxyethanol
Benzyl Alcohol
Sorbitan Olivate
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Propanediol
Glycogen
Sodium Gluconate
Retinol
Polysorbate 20
Dehydroacetic Acid
Citric Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
Xanthan Gum
Ethyl Ferulate
Humulus Lupulus Extract
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Propanediol, Glycogen, Sodium Gluconate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract
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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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
Emollient, helping to soften skin
Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
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.
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.
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!