Avène Hyaluron Activ Procedure Retinal 0.05% Eye And Lip Micro-Lift Cream Versus SVR Densitium Contour Des Yeux
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRetinal
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Retinal, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientDisodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingGlycol Palmitate
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentArginine PCA
HumectantCalcium PCA
HumectantCera Alba
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningChrysin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate, Glycol Palmitate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Arginine PCA, Calcium PCA, Cera Alba, Glyceryl Behenate, Ceteareth-20, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Maltodextrin, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Pentylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This 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.
Because 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).
In 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!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinWater. 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!
Learn more about WaterXanthan 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.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum