Skin science article
Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect SPF 30 Versus Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream
Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect SPF 30 Versus Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Carnosine to soften the look of wrinkles. This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Sq
Medik8 Advanced Day Eye Protect SPF 30 Versus Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Carnosine to soften the look of wrinkles.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
Dibutyl Adipate
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Glycerin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
Ethylhexyl Triazone
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Caffeine
Sodium Polyacrylate
Phenoxyethanol
Butylene Glycol
Carnosine
Xanthan Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Glucosyl Hesperidin
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Disodium EDTA
Benzoic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Disodium Phosphate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Dehydroacetic Acid
Citric Acid
Ectoin
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Polysilicone-11
Silica
Laureth-12
Water, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Caffeine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Carnosine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Phosphate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Ectoin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-11, Silica, Laureth-12
Tribehenin
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
Glyceryl Stearate
Propanediol
Squalane
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Caprylyl Glycol
Bakuchiol
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Ceramide NP
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract
Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract
Calanthe Discolor Extract
Lilium Candidum Flower Extract
Ubiquinone
Superoxide Dismutase
Ergothioneine
Tocopheryl Acetate
Bisabolol
Allantoin
Biotin
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Copper Lysinate/Prolinate
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Chrysin
Gluconolactone
Dipeptide-2
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Calcium Gluconate
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Isohexadecane
Pentylene Glycol
Polysorbate 80
Sodium Citrate
Sodium Gluconate
Sodium Hydroxide
Sorbitan Oleate
Steareth-20
Benzyl Alcohol
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Sodium Benzoate
Potassium Sorbate
Water, Glycerin, Tribehenin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Squalane, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Bakuchiol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract, Ptychopetalum Olacoides Bark/Stem Extract, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Ubiquinone, Superoxide Dismutase, Ergothioneine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Biotin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Gluconolactone, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Calcium Gluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Isohexadecane, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Steareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
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!
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.