Dr. Denese SkinScience Firming Facial Collagen Eye Cream Versus BIOTHERM Blue Therapy Eye Cream

Dr. Denese SkinScience Firming Facial Collagen Eye Cream Versus BIOTHERM Blue Therapy Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Glycerin

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Squalane

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Soluble Collagen

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Chrysin

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glucosyl Hesperidin

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Tribehenin

Ceramide Ng

PEG-10 Phytosterol

Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Phospholipids

Retinyl Palmitate

Pantothenic Acid

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Adenosine

Mica

Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract

Humulus Lupulus Extract

Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract

Viscum Album Leaf Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Butylene Glycol

PEG-100 Stearate

Glyceryl Stearate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Beeswax

Dimethicone

PEG-40 Stearate

Polysorbate 80

Isohexadecane

Steareth-20

Polysorbate 20

Allantoin

Carbomer

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Squalane, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Di-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Mica, Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Beeswax, Dimethicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Steareth-20, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Cyclohexasiloxane

Alcohol Denat.

Stearic Acid

Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Palmitic Acid

Sorbitol

Nylon-66

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Octyldodecanol

Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

PEG-20 Stearate

Propylene Glycol

Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

CI 77891

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Ascorbyl Glucoside

Vitreoscilla Ferment

Acrylates Copolymer

Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract

Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract

Algae

Algae Extract

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitol, Beeswax, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Nylon-66, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Octyldodecanol, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, PEG-20 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, CI 77891, Isohexadecane, Mica, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Acrylates Copolymer, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Algae, Algae Extract, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Beeswax is natural wax produced by honey bees to build their honeycomb.

Because it forms a protective layer on your skin, it can help lock in moisture and reduce water loss. It is also widely used as a thickener and emulsifier in lip balms and lotions. Research suggests beeswax containing moisturizers can support skin barrier integrity.

In comedogenic testing, Beeswax scored a 0-2, which is on the low end. Whether or not a product clogs your pores really comes down to the formula as a whole (not any single ingredient on its own).

Cera Alba is the white, bleached form of this ingredient.

Just so you know, beeswax is not vegan since it is animal-derived. It cannot be removed with water, but can be taken off with an oil cleanser.

People with a known Propolis allergy also report to have reactions from beeswax.

Beeswax's wax esters are derived primarily from palmitic and oleic acid (C16 and C18:1). Both of these fall within the C11-C24 feeding window.

The Malassezia yeast can potentially cleave these esters and release usable fatty acids, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. However, not everyone will react to this ingredient.

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%.

We don't have a description for Chrysin yet.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.

Mica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.

Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.

This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.

Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.

We don't have a description for N-Hydroxysuccinimide yet.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".

"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.

This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:

Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.

PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.

It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.

The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.

As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.

This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.

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!

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