Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex Versus Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex Versus Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Bifida Ferment Lysate and Caffeine to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Dimethicone

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Isohexadecane

Glycerin

Butylene Glycol

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Isopropyl Isostearate

PPG-15 Stearyl Ether

Sucrose

Trehalose

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Tripeptide-32

Faex Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate

Lactobacillus Ferment

Algae Extract

Sodium Rna

Hydrolyzed Algin

Caffeine

Hydroxyethyl Urea

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Silybum Marianum Extract

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Camelina Sativa Seed Oil

Sorbitol

Betula Alba Bark Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Morus Bombycis Root Extract

Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Propylene Glycol Dicaprate

Sodium Polyaspartate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Phytosphingosine

Ethylhexylglycerin

Polysilicone-11

Isododecane

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract

Polyethylene

Propylene Carbonate

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Lecithin

Glucose

Fructose

T-Butyl Alcohol

Disodium EDTA

BHT

Hydroxyacetophenone

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Potassium Sorbate

Phenoxyethanol

CI 77491

Water, Dimethicone, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isopropyl Isostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Sucrose, Trehalose, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Tripeptide-32, Faex Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Algae Extract, Sodium Rna, Hydrolyzed Algin, Caffeine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Polyaspartate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysilicone-11, Isododecane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Polyethylene, Propylene Carbonate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Lecithin, Glucose, Fructose, T-Butyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491

Cyclopentasiloxane

Isopropyl Palmitate

C14-22 Alcohols

Polymethylsilsesquioxane

Propanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Shea Butter Ethyl Esters

Retinol

Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate

Ceramide NP

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Swertia Chirata Extract

Squalane

Punica Granatum Extract

Glycine Soja Extract

Urea

Yeast Amino Acids

Inositol

Taurine

Betaine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Dimethyl Isosorbide

Silica

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Silica Dimethyl Silylate

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside

Cetyl Palmitate

Laureth-23

Polysorbate 20

Trideceth-6 Phosphate

Synthetic Fluorphlogopite

Chlorphenesin

Sodium Hydroxide

Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate

Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate

CI 77891

CI 14700

Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone

Citronellol

Parfum

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Palmitate, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Retinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Swertia Chirata Extract, Squalane, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Laureth-23, Polysorbate 20, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, CI 77891, CI 14700, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Parfum

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.

This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (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.

Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.

Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:

It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.

Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.

It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.

One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.

Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.

Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.

The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.

Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.

Trehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.

As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.

Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.

In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.

Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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