Dr. Lara Devgan Peptide Eye Cream Versus Caudalie VineActiv Vitamin C Energizing Eye Cream

Dr. Lara Devgan Peptide Eye Cream Versus Caudalie VineActiv Vitamin C Energizing Eye Cream

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

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Isopropyl Palmitate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Steareth-20

Chrysin

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Butylene Glycol

Carbomer

Polysorbate 20

Glycol Distearate

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Stearic Acid

Stearyl Alcohol

Phytonadione Epoxide

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Persea Gratissima Oil

Tocopheryl Acetate

Allantoin

Titanium Dioxide

Tetrasodium EDTA

Triethanolamine

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Steareth-20, Chrysin, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Phytonadione Epoxide, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Titanium Dioxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

Isononyl Isononanoate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

PEG-20 Stearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract

Arginine

Cyathea Cumingii Leaf Extract

Escin

Ammonium Glycyrrhizate

Caprylyl Glycol

Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Xanthan Gum

Picea Abies Extract

Tocopherol

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Sodium Phytate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Cinnamic Acid

Levulinic Acid

Sodium Levulinate

Citric Acid

Plant Ash

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, PEG-20 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Cyathea Cumingii Leaf Extract, Escin, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Picea Abies Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Phytate, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cinnamic Acid, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Plant Ash

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.

Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.

Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.

It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.

Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.

A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.

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.

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.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.

It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.

The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.

Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).

True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.

Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.

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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