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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG versus The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on March 03, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe . They have a total of 8 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 oils, 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.

Serum Canadian Brand Canada
Eye Moisturizer British Brand United Kingdom

Serum

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

Eye Moisturizer

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

Price

Shop

Buy Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG

Starts at $9.20
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

AHA
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

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

Concerns

Drying
May Worsen Oily Skin
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (3)
Eczema (3)

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

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

2
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

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

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

3
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 Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 4.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

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

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

5
What it does: Humectant, Moisturising, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.

Hyaluronic Acid has the capacity to bind to large amounts of water. This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.

Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.

Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing,

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Hyaluronic Acid

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 8.

The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.

6
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 Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 16.

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

7
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 Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 24.

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

8
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 Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG contains this as ingredient number 25.

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

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

50% are loved or liked
19% have mixed ratings
23% are disliked or very disliked
8% 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 Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 26 ingredients

2.5 /5
from 13 reviews
wthtay's Avatar'
Apr 27, 2023

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.

briannagrace96's Avatar'
Oct 4, 2023

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

JuliaTrancoso_671's Avatar'
Jan 17, 2022

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.

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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