Skin science article
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.