Peptide Skincare & BeautySkin science and ingredient guides

Skin science article

Plum Goodness 3% Vitamin C, 3% Peptide & 3% Caffeine Under Eye Cream With Mandarin Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

Plum Goodness 3% Vitamin C, 3% Peptide & 3% Caffeine Under Eye Cream With Mandarin Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Caffeine to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten du

Plum Goodness 3% Vitamin C, 3% Peptide & 3% Caffeine Under Eye Cream With Mandarin Versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Caffeine to soften the look of wrinkles 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

Undecane

Tridecane

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Glycerin

Caffeine

Isoamyl Laurate

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Caprylyl Glycol

Propanediol

Triolein

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Tapioca Starch

Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Cyclodextrin

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Methyl Gluceth-20

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Sorbitol

Isostearyl Hydroxystearate

Benzyl Alcohol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Citrate

Sodium Gluconate

Xanthan Gum

Sucralose

Citric Acid

Dilauryl Thiodipropionate

Water, Undecane, Tridecane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Caffeine, Isoamyl Laurate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Triolein, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cyclodextrin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate

Cetyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Behenate

Phenoxyethanol

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Jojoba Esters

Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract

Squalane

Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax

Phospholipids

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycine Soja Oil

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Phytate

Glycolipids

Sorbitan Isostearate

Butylene Glycol

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.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.

As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You 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.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just 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.

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.

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.

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.

Similar Comparisons

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. 06This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
  7. 07Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
  8. 08In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
  9. 09Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
  10. 10Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
  11. 11While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
  12. 12This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
  13. 13Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
  14. 14As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
  15. 15Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
  16. 16You 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.
  17. 17Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
  18. 18Just 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.
  19. 19Caprylic/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.
  20. 20Though 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.
Source · skinsort.com
02

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Comparison edit

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