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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum versus The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG .

Last updated on May 14, 2024. Published on November 19, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free . They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin, brightening skin, reducing pores and dark spots

Free From

They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Eye Moisturizer American Brand United States
Serum Canadian Brand Canada

Eye Moisturizer

Eye moisturizers help add moisture back into the skin around the eyes; these can be creams, gels, or serums.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Mineral UV Filter
Exfoliators (2)
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Peptides

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Reduces Large Pores
Dark Spots
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (2)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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.

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 2.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 4.

3
What it does: Solvent
Community Rating: Liked

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.

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 Propanediol

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 5.

4
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 24.

5
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 25.

6
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.

Caffeine is an antioxidants, which help with the signs of aging. This is because antioxidants help fight skin-damaging free radical molecules.

While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.

Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.

Learn more about Caffeine

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 2.

7
What it does: Absorbent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.

In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.

As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.

Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.

Learn more about Maltodextrin

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 3.

8
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan 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

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 31.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 15.

9
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Stabilising
Community Rating: Mixed

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.

Hydroxyethylcellulose helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.

This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.

Learn more about Hydroxyethylcellulose

Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 32.

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 13.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

33% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
47% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
48% are loved or liked
28% have mixed ratings
16% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 38 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Mario Badescu Brightening Under Eye Serum.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 47 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG.

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