Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Butyrospermum Parkii Butter and Persea Gratissima Oil to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This calming serum is formulated around Lactobacillus Ferment and Resveratrol to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Butylene Glycol

Tridecyl Stearate

PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate

Isodecyl Salicylate

Tridecyl Trimellitate

Persea Gratissima Oil

Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate

Propylene Glycol

Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate

Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Magnesium Sulfate

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Sodium PCA

Phenoxyethanol

Chlorphenesin

Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil

P-Anisic Acid

Tocopheryl Acetate

Isopropyl Palmitate

Disodium EDTA

Copper PCA

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

CI 40800

Citric Acid

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Tridecyl Stearate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Magnesium Sulfate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, Copper PCA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 40800, Citric Acid

Dimethicone

Glycerin

Methyl Trimethicone

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Isopropyl Isostearate

PPG-15 Stearyl Ether

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Faex Extract

Tripeptide-32

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Hydrolyzed Algin

Lactobacillus Ferment

Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract

Soy Amino Acids

Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate

Resveratrol

Algae Extract

Salicylic Acid

Ergothioneine

Whey Protein

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Laminaria Digitata Extract

Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Caffeine

Propylene Glycol Caprylate

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Isohexadecane

Polysilicone-11

Methyldihydrojasmonate

Sodium Lactate

Disteardimonium Hectorite

Isododecane

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Squalane

Polyethylene

Propylene Carbonate

Pentylene Glycol

BHT

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Linalool

CI 14700

CI 19140

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Faex Extract, Tripeptide-32, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Algin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Resveratrol, Algae Extract, Salicylic Acid, Ergothioneine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Whey Protein, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Caffeine, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Isohexadecane, Polysilicone-11, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Sodium Lactate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Isododecane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Squalane, Polyethylene, Propylene Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, CI 14700, CI 19140

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.

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%.

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 PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.

Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.

There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.

Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.

It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.

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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