La Roche-Posay Redermic R Eyes Anti-Aging Eye Cream with Retinol Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

La Roche-Posay Redermic R Eyes Anti-Aging Eye Cream with Retinol Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

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

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Isocetyl Stearate

Glycerin

Octyldodecanol

Propylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Caffeine

Isohexadecane

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hydroxide

Retinol

Retinyl Linoleate

Adenosine

Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate

Caprylyl Glycol

Citric Acid

Polysilicone-8

Polysorbate 80

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Isocetyl Stearate, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Retinol, Retinyl Linoleate, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Polysilicone-8, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol

Methyl Trimethicone

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Propanediol

Sucrose

Petrolatum

Polysorbate 40

Trehalose

Algae Extract

Morus Bombycis Root Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract

Betula Alba Bark Extract

Hydrolyzed Algin

Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract

Jojoba Alcohol

Ethylhexylglycerin

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Isopropyl Jojobate

Jojoba Esters

Faex Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Cholesterol

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sodium Rna

Phytosphingosine

Squalane

Potassium Sulfate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tripeptide-32

Butylene Glycol

Tromethamine

Disodium EDTA

BHT

CI 77491

CI 77492

CI 77499

Methyl Trimethicone, Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Sucrose, Petrolatum, Polysorbate 40, Trehalose, Algae Extract, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Jojoba Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Isopropyl Jojobate, Jojoba Esters, Isohexadecane, Faex Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Cholesterol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Rna, Caffeine, Polysorbate 80, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Squalane, Potassium Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tripeptide-32, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499

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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.

This ingredient is a synthetic polymer used to stabilize formulas and give products a "gel-cream" feel.

When applied, this ingredient mostly stays on the surface of skin. Safety reviews have found these polymers safe in cosmetics when made to proper quality standards. Testing also shows they’re unlikely to cause irritation or sensitization at normal use levels.

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.

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.

Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.

Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).

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.

This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.

Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.

Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.

Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.

Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.

Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.

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.

Polysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.

It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.

The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).

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.

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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