This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Carnosine to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and strengthen the skin barrier.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantC15-19 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
EmulsifyingCellulose
AbsorbentHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingMannitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantEthylcellulose
O-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantSalvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingRhamnose
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientGlabridin
BleachingAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Squalane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Cellulose, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Carnosine, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Mannitol, Xylitol, Ethylcellulose, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Tocopherol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Rhamnose, Glycine Soja Oil, Glabridin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBoron Nitride
AbsorbentMaltodextrin
AbsorbentC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOriganum Majorana Leaf Extract
AntiseborrhoeicC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEscin
TonicCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
AntioxidantPersea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantMarrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingAnthriscus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Squalane, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Boron Nitride, Maltodextrin, C14-22 Alcohols, Caffeine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Escin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil Unsaponifiables, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caramel, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Anthriscus Sylvestris Extract, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Maris Sal
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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.
Learn more about CaffeineCitric 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.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis 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.
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Propanediol 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.
Learn more about PropanediolSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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 Water