Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum versus The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on April 11, 2022
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe . They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain AHA
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and reducing pores
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols
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
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.
Ingredient Info
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Water • Propylene Glycol • Betaine • Pentylene Glycol • Caffeine • Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water • Collagen • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Punica Granatum Extract • Lonicera Caprifolium Extract • Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract • Cocoyl Proline • Lactobacillus Ferment Filtrate • Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate • Sodium Phytate • Glycerin • Lactobacillus Ferment • Xanthan Gum • Alcohol • Sodium Levulinate • Sodium Hydroxide • Glyceryl Caprylate • Sodium Anisate • Lactic Acid
Water • Caffeine • Maltodextrin • Glycerin • Propanediol • Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside • Gallyl Glucoside • Hyaluronic Acid • Oxidized Glutathione • Melanin • Glycine Soja Seed Extract • Urea • Pentylene Glycol • Hydroxyethylcellulose • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Xanthan Gum • Lactic Acid • Dehydroacetic Acid • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Propyl Gallate • Dimethyl Isosorbide • Benzyl Alcohol • 1,2-Hexanediol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Phenoxyethanol • Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 WaterQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 1.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can help thicken or emulsify a product. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 13.
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 CaffeineQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 2.
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 GlycerinQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 4.
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 GumQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 19.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 16.
Lactic Acid is an AHA that is derived from fermenting lactose, a carbohydrate from milk. It removes the top layer of old and dead skin cells and helps increase cell turnover.
Benefits of Lactic Acid are that it can help to reduce large pores and reduce the effects of aging. Some potential downsides are that it can be bad for dry skin, cause irritation, worsen eczema, and worsen rosacea.
Not only does it help exfoliate the skin, it helps strengthen the skin's barrier. When applied, lactic acid helps the skin create ceramides.
Lactic acid is an over-the-counter chemical exfoliant that comes from the fermentation of lactose — a carbohydrate found in milk.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidQ + A Caffeine Eye Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 17.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum 25 ingredients
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients
Didn't notice any difference
My bottle lasted for probably 3~4 months I think? And I really didn't notice any difference... It's not hydrating enough and it didn't help with puffiness at all.
Didn't notice any difference
My bottle lasted for probably 3~4 months I think? And I really didn't notice any difference... It's not hydrating enough and it didn't help with puffiness at all.
Burned my eye area and was very irritating
I’ve tried lots of products for my eyes some with luck in improvement and some not. So I’m always trying something new. I’ve never had sensitivity or issues with any eye cream or treatment...
Burned my eye area and was very irritating
I’ve tried lots of products for my eyes some with luck in improvement and some not. So I’m always trying something new. I’ve never had sensitivity or issues with any eye cream or treatment before. This one though burned so bad. It burned the skin so much so sometimes my eyes watered from the irritation, and it never got in my eyes. It made my eyes look worse actually because it irritated the eye area so much. I’d read such good reviews and thought it would make a huge difference but wasn’t prepared for the irritation. I’m not sure if the caffeine does it or what because it’s the only product with caffeine I’ve ever used. And I tried it for a couple weeks thinking maybe it’s normal or will get better. At first I didn’t know what was causing it just thought maybe my eyes were irritated but realized when I stopped using this I never had any issues with my eye area burning. Sadly disappointed
Unfortunately it didn't work for me.
I was very happy with the glow that this product gives the eye area, however, after a few weeks of use it dried out my skin a lot.
Unfortunately it didn't work for me.
I was very happy with the glow that this product gives the eye area, however, after a few weeks of use it dried out my skin a lot.
Alternatives
Our Dupe Finder has found 4 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Q + A Caffeine Eye Serum.
See 4 alternativesOur Dupe Finder has found 31 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG.
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