This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Arbutin to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and brighten dull-looking skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Citrus Tangerina Extract
TonicButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventWater
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingArbutin
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid Polypeptide
AntioxidantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
AntioxidantOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientGlucose
HumectantDimethiconol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantGlucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Citrus Tangerina Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Arbutin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Vinyldimethicone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Diglycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glucose, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingTriethylhexanoin
MaskingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantRetinal
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Triethylhexanoin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butylene Glycol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polysorbate 60, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diisopropyl Adipate, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Retinal, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Caffeine, Collagen Extract, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though 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.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePropanediol 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 PropanediolThis is a lab-made ingredient that plays a huge role in improving the texture of a formula.
It's used to thicken watery gel-creams, prevent water + oil from separating, and give products a silky, non-greasy glide.
Safety-wise, a panel of independent toxicologists reviewed this ingredient and concluded it to be safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration.
A separate sensitization patch test on humans also showed no evidence of allergic reactivity, and a true allergy to this ingredient is considered rare.
Typical usage levels range from 0.015%-3% in leave-on products and 0.078%-3.2% in rinse-off products.
Learn more about Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl TaurateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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