Versed Weekend Glow Brightening Eye Gel Versus Clinique All About Eyes Brightening Serum Concentrate
This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to brighten dull-looking skin and fade the look of dark spots.
This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Acetyl Glucosamine and Ascorbyl Glucoside to brighten dull-looking skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Gentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Steareth-20
CleansingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Dipeptide-2, Meadowfoam Delta-Lactone, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Steareth-20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Faex Extract
Skin ConditioningTrametes Versicolor Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSodium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysilicone-11
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Isododecane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Trisiloxane, Sodium Chloride, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Faex Extract, Trametes Versicolor Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Phosphate, Disodium Phosphate, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Resveratrol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineDimethyl Isosorbide (often shortened to DMI) is a sugar-derived solvent made from sorbitol. It's used to dissolve tricky ingredients and help them mix smoothly into a formula.
Many actives sit as gritty crystals when undissolved, so DMI swoops in to full dissolve them. This helps improve texture, stability, and how evenly an active is distributed.
It does have a penetration-enhancing reputation that is a bit more nuanced than marketing suggests; a cell study on human skin found that 10% DMI didn't significantly boost the permeation of Hydroquinone, Salicylic Acid, or Octadecenedioic Acid compared to controls (though it did improve their solubility in the formula itself).
Typical usage concentrations usually range from 1-10% depending on the formula's needs; this ingredient is also well tolerated at these levels.
Learn more about Dimethyl IsosorbideGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
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 PropanediolWater. 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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
