Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Versus First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Versus First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Niacinamide Brightening Eye Cream

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Persea Gratissima Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Butylene Glycol

Tridecyl Stearate

PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Isodecyl Salicylate

Tridecyl Trimellitate

Persea Gratissima Oil

Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate

Propylene Glycol

Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Magnesium Sulfate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium PCA

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil

P-Anisic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Isopropyl Palmitate

Disodium EDTA

Copper PCA

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

CI 40800

Citric Acid

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Tridecyl Stearate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Copper PCA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 40800, Citric Acid

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Maris Aqua

Niacinamide

Polysilicone-11

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Mica

Panthenol

Gigartina Stellata/Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Caffeine

Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Tocopherol

Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Hydroxyacetophenone

Glyceryl Polyacrylate

Squalane

Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Lecithin

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Caprylyl Glycol

Linoleic Acid

Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides

Silica

Hexylene Glycol

Palmitic Acid

Oleic Acid

Stearic Acid

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polysorbate 60

Triolein

T-Butyl Alcohol

Sodium Benzoate

Potassium Sorbate

CI 77891

CI 77491

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Maris Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysilicone-11, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mica, Panthenol, Gigartina Stellata/Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Polycyclopentadiene, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Linoleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Triolein, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, CI 77891, CI 77491

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.

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.

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.

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