MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Eye Cream Versus Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream with Niacinamide

MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Eye Cream Versus Caudalie Vinoperfect Dark Circle Brightening Eye Cream with Niacinamide

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium DNA to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glycereth-26

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate

Pullulan

1,2-Hexanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Vinyldimethicone

Hydroxyacetophenone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Sodium DNA

Polyisobutene

Butylene Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Propanediol

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Adenosine

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Sorbitan Isostearate

Sorbitan Oleate

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract

Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract

Cyanocobalamin

Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract

Retinol

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Caffeine

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Hydrolyzed Extensin

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Copper Tripeptide-1

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Pullulan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Vinyldimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium DNA, Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Retinol, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Triheptanoin

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Squalane

Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract

Oleic Acid

Glyceryl Caprylate

Cetyl Alcohol

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Carbomer

Terminalia Arjuna Extract

Xanthan Gum

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Tocopherol

Sodium Hydroxide

Lecithin

Sodium Phytate

Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caffeine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Triheptanoin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Oleic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate

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.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.

Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.

In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.

While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.

Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.

This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.

This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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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