Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum Versus Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe eye moisturizers. They have a total of 4 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid, peptides and Vitamin C
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum 26 ingredients
Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream 39 ingredients
Free from
Safety & Ethics
American Brand
Free from
Safety & Ethics
American Brand
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum 26 ingredients
Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream 39 ingredients
Ingredients, at a glance
What's in this product, and how it might affect your skin.
Notable Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients, at a glance
What's in this product, and how it might affect your skin.
Notable Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
2 Concerns
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Antioxidant7 Benefits
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
This ingredient is a high molecular weight silicone. It has emulsifying and skin conditioning properties.
Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
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.
We don't have a description for Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid yet.
This ingredient comes from a fatty acid (lauric acid) and amino acid (lysine). It is used to add a silky feel to cosmetics.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate is a synthetic powder used as an absorbent, thickener, and anti-caking agent.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is a form of hyaluronic acid. It is created by the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid with a high molecular weight. Once created, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid has a low molecular weight.
3 Benefits
Steareth-20 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from stearyl alcohol.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 is a 3-amino acid peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate (long name, huh?) is a synthetic antioxidant.
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 is a peptide. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
Helps with Anti-AgingNot safe for Fungal Acne
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
5 BenefitsMay worsen Rosacea
Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.
Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Water, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysilicone-11, CI 77891, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Steareth-20, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chrysin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Biotin
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.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
Antioxidant4 Benefits
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
3 Benefits
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Arachidyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol made from peanut oil. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener.
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
3 Concerns
C13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is created by combining pure Vitamin C and palmitic acid. It is an antioxidant and helps reduce hyperpigmentation.
Antioxidant6 BenefitsNot safe for Fungal Acne
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a peptide. A common name for this peptide is Argireline.
Helps with Anti-Aging
Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
3 Benefits
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Antioxidant3 Benefits
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables comes from shea butter.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is created from the hydrogenation of lecithin (a group of fatty acids). Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between hydrogen and another element.
Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
A type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as traditional alcohols.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
5 BenefitsMay worsen Rosacea
Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
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 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
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateCitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum 26 ingredients
Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream 39 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Dark Circle Reducing Vitamin C Eye Serum 26 ingredients
Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Eye Cream 39 ingredients
KLo
I used this for a year and I didn’t see much of a difference after using and stopping the product. It seemed like the cream goes on cool and makes...
I used this for a year and I didn’t see much of a difference after using and stopping the product. It seemed like the cream goes on cool and makes you think it it’s doing something but when you come back to the mirror you realize it didn’t.
