Skin science article
Hylamide SubQ Eyes Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
Hylamide SubQ Eyes Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. This anti-aging
Hylamide SubQ Eyes Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 and Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Methyl Methacrylate/PEG/PPG-4/3 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
Propanediol
Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Gallyl Glucoside
Darutoside
Aminobutyric Acid
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Asparagopsis Armata Extract
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Lecithin
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Squalane
Sorbitol
Tocopheryl Acetate
Propyl Gallate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Pentylene Glycol
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Ceteareth-20
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Xanthan Gum
Ceteareth-12
Cetyl Palmitate
Gluconolactone
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Benzoic Acid
Benzyl Alcohol
Hexylene Glycol
Caprylyl Glycol
Dehydroacetic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Chlorphenesin
Water, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate/PEG/PPG-4/3 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Propanediol, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Darutoside, Aminobutyric Acid, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Lecithin, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Squalane, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propyl Gallate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Ceteareth-12, Cetyl Palmitate, Gluconolactone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Behenate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Caffeine
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Phospholipids
Ethylhexylglycerin
Glycine Soja Oil
Polysorbate 60
Sodium Phytate
Glycolipids
Sorbitan Isostearate
Butylene Glycol
Citric Acid
Glycine Soja Sterols
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Hyaluronic Acid
Tocopherol
Carbomer
Sodium Lactate
Polysorbate 20
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Squalane, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Darutoside, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Darutoside 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.
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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.