Liz Earle Instant Brightening Eye Cream Versus Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum : Ginseng + Retinal
This eye moisturizer is formulated around Borago Officinalis Seed Oil to hydrate skin.
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Panax Ginseng Root Extract and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Echinacea Purpurea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Fructose
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Glycerophosphate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Diheptyl Succinate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Echinacea Purpurea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Fructose, Mica, Polysorbate 60, Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Xanthan Gum, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Glycerophosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentCholesterol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
