e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream Versus The [pH]ix Caffeine Eye Cream

e.l.f. cosmetics Holy Hydration! Eye Cream Versus The [pH]ix Caffeine 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 calming eye moisturizer is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Bisabolol to calm redness 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

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Propanediol

Persea Gratissima Oil

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Polyacrylamide

Bisabolol

Zingiber Officinale Root Extract

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caffeine

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Phytonadione Epoxide

Saccharide Isomerate

Citric Acid

Sodium Citrate

Phytic Acid

Mannitol

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Laureth-7

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyacrylamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caffeine, Polysorbate 80, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytonadione Epoxide, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phytic Acid, Mannitol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Sodium Hydroxide

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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.

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%.

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.

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 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!

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