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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream versus Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask .

Last updated on September 18, 2023. Published on April 12, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe . They have a total of 12 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid, retinoid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances and oils

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 British Brand United Kingdom
Eye Mask American Brand United States

Eye Moisturizer

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

Eye Mask

Eye masks are used to add moisture back into the skin around the eyes; these can be overnight masks or eye patches.

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol Eye Cream

Starts at $14.00
Shop

Buy Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask

Starts at $42.00

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

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging
Dark Spots
Scar Healing
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E
Exfoliators (3)
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (2)
Reduces Irritation
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Anti-Aging (3)
Dark Spots (3)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (5)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (5)
Acne Trigger (4)
Irritating (2)
Rosacea
Eczema
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Ingredients Compared

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

Water • Glycerin • Propanediol • Glyceryl Stearate • Cetearyl Alcohol • Persea Gratissima Oil • C9-12 Alkane • Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate • Stearic Acid • Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract • Squalane • Niacinamide • Ethylhexylglycerin • Hexylresorcinol • Oryza Sativa Extract • Tocopheryl Acetate • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice • Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract • Hyaluronic Acid • Ethylhexyl Palmitate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Retinol • Pei-10 • Hydrated Silica • Sodium Chloride • Fructan • Maltodextrin • Spirulina Maxima Extract • Curcumin • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Potassium Chloride • Potassium Phosphate • Butylene Glycol • Sodium Phosphate • Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate • Maltooligosyl Glucoside • Arginine • Silica Dimethyl Silylate • Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine • Sodium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Caprylyl Glycol • Kaolin • Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Extract • Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Ppg-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate • Polyisobutene • Pvp • C13-15 Alkane • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer • Hexylene Glycol • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Phenoxyethanol • Aroma

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

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask 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

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 3.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 33.

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.

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 8.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 56.

5
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is also an emulsifier. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 11.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 51.

6
What it does: Buffering
Community Rating: Mixed

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.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 40.

7
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 13.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 21.

8
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

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 16.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 3.

9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.

Why is retinol famous?

It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.

Retinol is proven to:

This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).

Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.

Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.

Read about Tretinoin

Learn more about Retinol

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 19.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 22.

10
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 20.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 13.

11
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

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.

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 look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 22.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 41.

12
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

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 25.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask contains this as ingredient number 42.

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

28% are loved or liked
21% have mixed ratings
34% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet
28% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
32% are disliked or very disliked
28% 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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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream 29 ingredients

3.5 /5
from 2 ratings
Lakooo's avatar

Lakooo

1 year ago · Combination Skin
Review

Good, but not a stand-alone eye product
Like everything from the Inkey List, this is affordable, reliable, and well formulated, if not a product...

Good, but not a stand-alone eye product
Like everything from the Inkey List, this is affordable, reliable, and well formulated, if not a product no one can live without. To get the full benefit, you must also use a hydrating toner/mist and the Inkey List's Brighten-I cream at night.

Daniel.Chin's avatar

Daniel.Chin

6 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

Split!
Works, but after a couple months, it turned yellow and split. Gross.

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask 57 ingredients

Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 41 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 1 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask.

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