Jan Marini C-Esta Eye Repair Concentrate Versus Tula Skincare A+ Renewal Advanced Retinal & Peptides Serum

Jan Marini C-Esta Eye Repair Concentrate Versus Tula Skincare A+ Renewal Advanced Retinal & Peptides Serum

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Palmitate and Ubiquinone to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinal and Lactococcus Ferment Lysate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Triethanolamine

Cyclopentasiloxane

Cyclohexasiloxane

Hexyl Laurate

Glyceryl Stearate

Butylene Glycol

Dimethyl Mea

Polysorbate 20

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dimethicone

Sodium Hyaluronate

Urea

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Zinc Sulfate

Pyridoxine Hcl

Lecithin

Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate

Sodium Metabisulfite

Sodium Sulfite

Ubiquinone

Parfum

Benzyl Salicylate

Geraniol

Linalool

Diethanolamine

Citric Acid

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Methylparaben

Butylparaben

Ethylparaben

Propylparaben

CI 77891

Water, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Triethanolamine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hexyl Laurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethyl Mea, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Urea, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zinc Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hcl, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Ubiquinone, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Geraniol, Linalool, Diethanolamine, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, CI 77891

Propanediol

C15-19 Alkane

1,2-Hexanediol

Lactococcus Ferment Lysate

Pentylene Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract

Tridecapeptide-1

Ceramide AP

Ceramide As

Ceramide Ns

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide NP

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Lactobacillus

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Beta Vulgaris Root Extract

Retinal

Arginine

Diisostearyl Malate

Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide

Bisabolol

Inulin

Arachidyl Alcohol

Lactic Acid

Sclerotium Gum

Behenyl Alcohol

Malic Acid

Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice

Arachidyl Glucoside

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Cellulose Gum

Glucose

Calcium Chloride

Fructose

Cholesterol

Sodium Phytate

2,3-Butanediol

Calcium Alginate

Cellulose

Sodium Hydroxide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Caprylyl Glycol

Maltodextrin

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Chloride

Potassium Sorbate

Water, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Tridecapeptide-1, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactobacillus, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Retinal, Arginine, Diisostearyl Malate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Bisabolol, Inulin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Citric Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Malic Acid, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cellulose Gum, Glucose, Calcium Chloride, Fructose, Cholesterol, Sodium Phytate, 2,3-Butanediol, Calcium Alginate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Cellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate

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.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.

Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.

This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.

A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.

Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.

Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

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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