Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex Versus Sesderma K-VIT Anti-Dark Circles Serum

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex Versus Sesderma K-VIT Anti-Dark Circles 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 calming serum is formulated around Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract and Superoxide Dismutase to calm redness.

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

Hydrogenated Polydecene

Ceteth-20

Propanediol

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Glyceryl Stearate

Cyclopentasiloxane

Alcohol

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Methylsilanol Mannuronate

Phytonadione Epoxide

Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein

Aesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract

Glycine Soja Protein

Superoxide Dismutase

Pinanediol

Camphanediol

Cyclohexasiloxane

Polysorbate 20

Propylene Glycol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Triethanolamine

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium Cholate

Sodium Chloride

Sodium Dextran Sulfate

Sodium Benzoate

Sorbic Acid

Parfum

Water, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ceteth-20, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Phytonadione Epoxide, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Aesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine Soja Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Pinanediol, Camphanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cholate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Parfum

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

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

Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane belongs to the siloxanes and silicones classes. It is synthetically created and has a waxy composition.

This ingredient is a humectant and emollient, meaning it helps hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture to your skin, while emollients prevent moisture from escaping.

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.

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.

Potassium 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.

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%.

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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