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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 The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on January 31, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both vegan, cruelty-free, and reef safe eye moisturizers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain hyaluronic acid

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

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 Moisturizer British Brand United Kingdom

Eye Moisturizer

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

Eye Moisturizer

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

Price

Shop

Buy Retinol Eye Cream

Starts at $14.00
Shop

Buy Caffeine Eye Cream

Starts at $9.99

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)

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Skin Texture
Anti-Aging
Scar Healing
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Irritating
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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

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

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream 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.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream 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.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 23.

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.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 32.

5
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.

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

6
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.

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

7
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

The INKEY List Retinol Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 17.

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
38% are loved or liked
9% have mixed ratings
41% are disliked or very disliked
13% 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 reviews
Lakooo's Avatar'
Apr 24, 2023

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...

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'
Nov 2, 2023

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

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

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream 32 ingredients

3.3 /5
from 11 reviews
Lakooo's Avatar'
Apr 24, 2023

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 or...

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 or mist and pair this eye cream with the Inkey List Brighten-I eye cream.

LotteBerendsen_250's Avatar'
Jul 2, 2023

Nice, but didn't make a big difference
I found that this eye cream has helped to reduce my eye's puffiness, especially in the mornings. However, I've seen no improvement for dark circles, dryness or any of the other claims. I will not...

Nice, but didn't make a big difference
I found that this eye cream has helped to reduce my eye's puffiness, especially in the mornings. However, I've seen no improvement for dark circles, dryness or any of the other claims. I will not be repurchasing this sadly.

Aishaxy's Avatar'
Oct 7, 2023

its OK for cheap product
if you are on budget , its ok. it hydrates. didnt see any other improvements

its OK for cheap product
if you are on budget , its ok. it hydrates. didnt see any other improvements

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