Skin science article
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream Versus Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream Versus Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel 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 moi
e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream Versus Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel
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 Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Jojoba Esters
Diisostearyl Malate
C10-18 Triglycerides
Cetearyl Alcohol
Silica
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Soluble Collagen
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Butylene Glycol
1,2-Hexanediol
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 80
Isohexadecane
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Carbomer
Hydroxyacetophenone
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Jojoba Esters, Diisostearyl Malate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Niacinamide
Dimethicone
Panthenol
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Caprylyl Glycol
Dimethiconol
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Aminomethyl Propanol
Phenoxyethanol
CI 61570
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, CI 61570
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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
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.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
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!