Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye Versus Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye Versus Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinal and Ceramide NP to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Propanediol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Glycerin

Isododecane

Squalane

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Behenyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Stearate

Microcrystalline Cellulose

PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer

Tocopheryl Acetate

Cyclodextrin

Phytosterols

Phenoxyethanol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Dimethicone

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Tocopherol

Linoleic Acid

Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil

Ceramide NP

Bisabolol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Cellulose

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Lecithin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Retinal

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract

Sodium Polyaspartate

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil

Ethylhexylglycerin

BHT

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Trihydroxystearin

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyclodextrin, Phytosterols, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil, Ceramide NP, Bisabolol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cellulose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinal, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Sodium Polyaspartate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Trihydroxystearin

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Galactoarabinan

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3

Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide

Hyaluronic Acid

Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil

Niacinamide

Withania Somnifera Root Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract

Ellagic Acid

Phenyl T-Butylnitrone

Ergothioneine

Glutathione

Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Chrysin

Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole

Lavandula Hybrida Oil

Butylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Steareth-20

Citric Acid

Dextran

Acetyl Tributyl Citrate

Potassium Sorbate

Geraniol

Limonene

Linalool

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Galactoarabinan, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Retinal, Ellagic Acid, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Mirabilis Jalapa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Cyclodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Steareth-20, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool

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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.

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%.

Cyclodextrins are ring-shaped sugar molecules made from starch. It is used to stabilize, protect, and slowly release active ingredients.

This ingredient can help prevent oxidation, reduce irritation from strong actives, and make certain ingredients absorb better once applied.

Once applied to your skin, enzymes gradually break down the cyclodextrin "ring"; this releases the active ingredient in a controlled way.

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 Honeysuckle flower extract comes from the Italian honeysuckle. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fragrance.

Both this and the Japanese Honeysuckle are rich in a natural paraben that give it antimicrobial property. They are effective in inhibiting bacteria, yeast, and mold.

Honeysuckle contains flavonoids and saponins. Both of these components are natural antioxidants that can help soothe the skin.

As most flowers do, honeysuckle has a natural fragrance.

Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract comes from the honeysuckle flower.

Honeysuckles have skin protecting, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains many antioxidants, such as luteolin, caffeic acid, loniflavone, and chlorogenic acids.

This honeysuckle is native to East Asia and used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever and inflammation.

Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:

Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.

On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.

Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Retinal (aka retinaldehyde) is a form of retinoid that formulators use mainly as an antiaging and skin-renewing active.

What makes it special is its position in the retinoid family; skin converts it to retinoic acid (the prescription gold standard) in just one step.

Because retinal only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, it's the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. It also works at lower concentrations than retinol, since retinal is about 10x more bioavailable.

Studies back up its efficacy in skin:

A foundational trial showed that applying 0.05-0.5% retinal for 1-3 months produced a dose-dependent and significant increase in epidermal thickness + cell turnover markers.

And a head-to-head comparison of 0.05% retinal against a 0.05% retinoid acid found both formulations were effective for the basis of wrinkle/skin roughness features, but retinoic acid caused more local irritation.

More recent controlled trials confirm it improves wrinkles, dermal density, and firmness over 12-24 weeks, with significant improvements in skin texture and firmness (particularly with the higher 0.1% concentration).

Retinal also has one trick the other retinoids do not: it directly fights against acne bacteria since a clinical study showed retinaldehyde-treated areas displayed a significant decrease in counts of viable P. acnes.

This makes it a great pick for people who want to treat aging and breakouts.

Typical cosmetic use sits in the 0.05-0.1% range with 0.05% being the gentle starting point and 0.1% giving stronger results.

Like all retinoids, retinal works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen. It can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly rather than going all in.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinal once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low.

Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

Cloudberry seed oil is rich in vitamin C, citric acid, malic acid, vitamin C, and beta-carotene.

This ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.

Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.

The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.

Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.

As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.

This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.

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.

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