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Murad Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

Murad Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Ascorbic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging eye moisturizer

Murad Vita-C Eyes Dark Circle Corrector Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

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

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dimethicone

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

CI 77891

Niacinamide

Ascorbic Acid

Urea

Yeast Amino Acids

Trehalose

Inositol

Taurine

Betaine

Glutathione

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Glucosyl Hesperidin

Fucus Vesiculosus Extract

Xymenynic Acid

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Mica

Triheptanoin

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Sorbitol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

C13-16 Isoparaffin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Polyisobutene

Silica

Hexylene Glycol

PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether

Acetyl Zingerone

Asparagopsis Armata Extract

Chlorella Vulgaris Extract

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Xanthan Gum

Cucumis Sativus Extract

Trimethylsiloxysilicate

PEG-8 Methyl Ether Triethoxysilane

Gold

Caprylyl Glycol

Phenoxyethanol

Ethylhexylglycerin

CI 77492

CI 77491

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, CI 77891, Niacinamide, Ascorbic Acid, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glutathione, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Xymenynic Acid, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Mica, Triheptanoin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sorbitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyisobutene, Silica, Hexylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Acetyl Zingerone, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG-8 Methyl Ether Triethoxysilane, Gold, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77492, CI 77491

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Propanediol

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Behenate

Jojoba Esters

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Squalane

Caffeine

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Phospholipids

Glycine Soja Oil

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Phytate

Glycolipids

Sorbitan Isostearate

Butylene Glycol

Citric Acid

Glycine Soja Sterols

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Tocopherol

Carbomer

Darutoside

Sodium Lactate

Polysorbate 20

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Behenate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Squalane, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Phospholipids, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phytate, Glycolipids, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Darutoside, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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The reference edit

Ingredients, questions
& further reading.

Connected source records selected through this article’s public topic index.

01

Formula cabinet

Ingredients & structured notes

Ingredient index

Ingredients Explained

  1. 01These ingredients are found in both products.
  2. 02Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
  3. 03Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
  4. 04Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
  5. 05Though 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.
  6. 06Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
  7. 07As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
  8. 08Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
  9. 09You 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.
  10. 10Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
  11. 11Just 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.
  12. 12Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
  13. 13Like 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.
  14. 14However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
  15. 15Due 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.
  16. 16In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
  17. 17While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
  18. 18Most 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.
  19. 19Rosacea 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.
  20. 20However, 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…
Source · skinsort.com
02

Product index

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03

Comparison edit

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