Mary Kay Timewise Repair Volu-firm Eye Renewal Cream Versus Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Firm® Advanced Lifting Serum

Mary Kay Timewise Repair Volu-firm Eye Renewal Cream Versus Mary Kay TimeWise Repair Volu-Firm® Advanced Lifting Serum

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Centella Asiatica Extract to soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Tripeptide-1 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Petrolatum

Paraffinum Liquidum

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Cetyl Esters

Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2

Butylene Glycol

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene

Sorbitan Olivate

Cetearyl Olivate

Hexyldecanol

Cetyl Palmitate

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Magnolia Grandiflora Bark Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Bisabolol

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Pisum Sativum Extract

Citrus Grandis Peel Extract

Magnolia Biondii Flower Extract

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture

Dipeptide-2

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Tripeptide-1

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Tocopheryl Acetate

Steareth-20

Stearic Acid

Propylene Glycol

Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide

Sorbitan Palmitate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Ceteareth-20

Triethanolamine

Disodium EDTA

Silica

Ethylene/Methacrylate Copolymer

Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Sodium Citrate

Potassium Benzoate

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Phenoxyethanol

Diazolidinyl Urea

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Magnesium Chloride

Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Esters, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Hexyldecanol, Cetyl Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Magnolia Grandiflora Bark Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bisabolol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Pisum Sativum Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Magnolia Biondii Flower Extract, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tripeptide-1, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Steareth-20, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Sorbitan Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Silica, Ethylene/Methacrylate Copolymer, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Benzoate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Magnesium Chloride

Cyclopentasiloxane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Dimethicone

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Polysilicone-11

Pentylene Glycol

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Vp/Va Copolymer

Polysorbate 40

Sorbitol

Mica

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Alpinia Galanga Leaf Extract

Menthyl Lactate

Sodium Chloride

Secale Cereale Seed Extract

Cyclohexasiloxane

Dihydroxy Methylchromone

Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract

Xanthan Gum

Caprylic Acid

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Tin Oxide

Cyclodextrin

Maltodextrin

Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate

Tocopherol

Dextran

CI 77891

Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Silica, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-11, Pentylene Glycol, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Polysorbate 40, Sorbitol, Mica, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Alpinia Galanga Leaf Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Cyclohexasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Dihydroxy Methylchromone, Pisum Sativum Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Tin Oxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Cyclodextrin, Maltodextrin, Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Dextran, Tripeptide-1, CI 77891

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.

Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture is an antioxidant.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

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.

This ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.

It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.

According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate (IPBC) is a preservative that is especially good at getting fungi and mold out of your cosmetics.

IPBC works by leveraging the antimicrobial properties of its iodine containing structure. Iodine has been used as a germicide since the late 1800s and IPBC is a more refined and stable derivative of it.

It is typically used at very low levels in cosmetics, with most formulations using 0.0125% or less (well below its approved maximum).

In the EU, IPBC concentration limits are set at 0.02% in rinse-off products and 0.01% in leave-on products.

Though IPBC is a relatively uncommon contact allergen, patch testing studies show positive reaction rates ranging from 0.3%-0.9% of patients tested. This is still quite low compared to preservatives like methylisothiazolinone which sits at around 4-5%.

Researchers note that existing iodine sensitives or rubber allergies may be the cause of this as IPBC shares a structure with both thiuram (used in rubber) and iodine.

Be sure to patch test if you are unsure and speak with a medical professional about using this ingredient.

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.

We don't have a description for Pisum Sativum Extract yet.

Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.

Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.

The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.

It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.

In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.

Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.

Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.

The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).

Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.

Triethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.

As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.

PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.

If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.

Tripeptide-1, also known as GHK), is a small, three-amino-acid peptide made up of glycine, histidine, and lysine.

This ingredient is a signal peptide and tell your skin to start producing fresh collagen, elastin, and other key structural proteins. This helps maintain firmness and reduces the look of fine-lines/wrinkles.

GHK is also unique because is also acts as a carrier peptide. It binds to and transports copper ions (forming the complex GHK-Cu). This form has been studied for decades and is known to stimulate wound healing, boost antioxidant defenses, and promote collagen/elastin synthesis.

In-vitro studies show both GHK and GHK-CU increase fibroblast activity that enhances the production of collagen, elastin, fibronectin, and other extracellular matrix components.

Both of these compounds also help balance enzymes that control collagen breakdown.

Human studies (in-vivo) using GHK-Cu creams have reported visible improvements to skin density, elasticity, and wrinkle depth after several weeks of use.

A small clinical study also found topical collagen tripeptide improved wrinkle appearance and skin elasticity in women after four weeks.

While these results are promising, most research is based on GHK-Cu or its derivatives rather than Tripeptide-1 alone (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a famous derivative of GHK). However, the consensus still supports GHK as a potent skin-signaling molecule that can encourage regeneration and maintain youthful looking skin.

Fun fact: GHK is a naturally occurring fragment of type 1 collagen that can be found in human plasma, saliva, and urine.

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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