MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Eye Cream Versus Tirtir Collagen Lifting Eye Cream

MediCube PDRN Pink Peptide Eye Cream Versus Tirtir Collagen Lifting Eye Cream

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

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to soften the look of wrinkles.

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

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Methyl Trimethicone

C12-16 Alcohols

Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

Squalane

Persea Gratissima Oil

Palmitic Acid

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Glucose

Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Fructooligosaccharides

Fructose

Panthenol

Pentaerythrityl Distearate

Sodium Polyacrylate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Parfum

Xanthan Gum

Collagen

Sodium Phytate

Hydrolyzed Corn Starch

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Sucrose

Dextrin

Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract

Myristyl Alcohol

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water

Lauryl Alcohol

Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract

Methylpropanediol

Tocopherol

Carbomer

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Polysorbate 20

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Niacinamide, Methyl Trimethicone, C12-16 Alcohols, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyisobutene, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Collagen, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sucrose, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Myristyl Alcohol, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water, Lauryl Alcohol, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Methylpropanediol, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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%.

This ingredient is a mild surfactant made by sticking glucose onto a blend of fatty acids.

It does two jobs because it has a sugar head that loves water and a fatty tail that loves oil:

Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.

Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.

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.

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.

This ingredient helps:

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

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.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

Hydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.

As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.

Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.

This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.

You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.

Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.

An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.

So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.

Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

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.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".

"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.

This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.

Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:

Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.

It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.

Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.

This long ingredient is a copolymer of sodium acrylate and sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate monomers.

It is used to help stabilize other ingredients and create a thicker gel-like texture.

Emulsifiers prevent oils and waters from separating.

Sorbitan Oleate is a PEG-free emulsifier made by esterifying sorbitol with oleic acid.

You'll likely see it paired with Polysorbate 80 to create the right emulsification balance.

Typical use levels in formulas range from 2-10%.

The CIR Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as a cosmetic ingredient.

Since this ingredient is an ester of oleic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.

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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