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Fenty Beauty Flash Nap Instant Revival Priming Eye Gel-Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream

Fenty Beauty Flash Nap Instant Revival Priming Eye Gel-Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin. Thi

Fenty Beauty Flash Nap Instant Revival Priming Eye Gel-Cream Versus The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

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

Glycerin

Propanediol

Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate

Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters

Cetearyl Olivate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Sorbitan Olivate

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract

Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Hovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract

Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Escin

Menthyl Lactate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Butylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Potassium Hydroxide

Sodium Metabisulfite

Hydroxyacetophenone

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Phenoxyethanol

Mica

CI 77891

Benzyl Salicylate

Hexyl Cinnamal

Limonene

Linalool

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexa C5-9 Acid Esters, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hovenia Dulcis Fruit Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Escin, Menthyl Lactate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Metabisulfite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Distearate

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

Benzyl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Copernicia Cerifera Cera

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

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.

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.

Cetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.

You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.

These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.

This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.

Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

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.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.

This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.

This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.

According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.

Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.

Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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!

Similar Comparisons

The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
  4. 04You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
  5. 051) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV) 2) activate the same genes retinoids do
  6. 06Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
  7. 07The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
  8. 08Systematic reviews also back this up:
  9. 09Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
  10. 10The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
  11. 11This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
  12. 12Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
  13. 13The 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 …
  14. 14Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
  15. 15Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
  16. 16Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
  17. 17Your 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.
  18. 18Aquaporin-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.
  19. 19This 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.
  20. 20Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

Related product references

Product

The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask

The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask The Inkey List Madecassoside Mask ingredients explained: Aqua (Water/Eau), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, …

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →

Product

The Inkey List Retinol Serum

The Inkey List Retinol Serum The Inkey List Retinol Serum ingredients explained: Water (Aqua/Eau), Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Ac…

Source: incidecoder.comView reference →
03

Comparison edit

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