Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream Versus Olay Niacinamide + Vitamin C Brightening Face Moisturiser

Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream Versus Olay Niacinamide + Vitamin C Brightening Face Moisturiser

This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Ascorbyl Glucoside and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.

This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Lactic Acid to brighten dull-looking skin and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Glycerin

Triheptanoin

Ascorbyl Glucoside

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Arachidyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

C13-15 Alkane

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Sh-Polypeptide-121

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Hyaluronic Acid

Zerumbone

Bacillus Ferment

Tocopherol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables

Oryza Sativa Bran Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Behenyl Alcohol

Arachidyl Glucoside

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Cetyl Alcohol

Sodium Phytate

Sodium Citrate

Citric Acid

Sodium Metabisulfite

Phenoxyethanol

Caprylyl Glycol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylene Glycol

Sodium Hydroxide

Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Triheptanoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, C13-15 Alkane, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hyaluronic Acid, Zerumbone, Bacillus Ferment, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide

Isohexadecane

Niacinamide

Dimethicone

Lactic Acid

Isopropyl Isostearate

Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Stearyl Alcohol

Sodium Lactate

Panthenol

Dimethiconol

PEG-100 Stearate

Cetearyl Glucoside

Parfum

Palmitic Acid

Sodium Benzoate

Stearic Acid

Trehalose

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Lactic Acid, Isopropyl Isostearate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Panthenol, Behenyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Dimethiconol, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Trehalose, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

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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.

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is one of the most popular "stable" vitamin C derivatives in skincare.

Plain ascorbic acid is fantastic but notoriously fragile; it browns, oxidizes, and loses potency fast. So attaching an ethyl group to the third carbon of the molecule gives it some cool perks:

In a formula, it does the 3 classic vitamin C jobs: it acts as an antioxidant, helps brighten skin tone by inhibiting tyrosinase, and supports collagen.

The evidence is reasonably solid for a cosmetic ingredient; Liao and colleagues (2018) showed it's significantly more stable than ascorbic acid while still being effective.

A 2021 study by Zerbinati and colleagues tested a serum with 30% 3-O-ethyl-l-ascorbic acid and 1% lactic acid significantly increased collagen production, reduced UVB-induced DNA damage, and decreased melanin on a reconstructed pigmented skin model.

Typical real world usage sits around 0.5-5% (and 1-2% is common for daily serums).

Amounts up to 30% have been shown to be non-irritating on human skin samples, but two isolated cases reported allergic contact dermatitis so a patch test is sensible if you have reactive skin.

Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).

Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.

Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.

In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.

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.

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Its main roles are:

Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.

The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.

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.

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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