Educational guide
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look
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Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Synchronized Recovery Complex
This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Retinol and Sodium Hyaluronate to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
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
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Dimethicone
Glycerin
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
Cetearyl Alcohol
Stearyl Alcohol
Butylene Glycol
Ceteareth-20
Isohexadecane
Trisiloxane
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Caprylyl Glycol
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyacrylamide
Polyethylene
Chlorphenesin
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Ptfe
Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
BHT
Sodium Hyaluronate
Disodium EDTA
Laureth-7
Ascorbic Acid
Polysorbate 20
Retinol
Sodium Hydroxide
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Isohexadecane, Trisiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, Polyethylene, Chlorphenesin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ptfe, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, BHT, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Ascorbic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Sodium Hydroxide
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Disteardimonium Hectorite
Isopropyl Isostearate
Sucrose
Trehalose
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Tripeptide-32
Faex Extract
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
Propylene Carbonate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Lecithin
Glucose
Fructose
T-Butyl Alcohol
Hydroxyacetophenone
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Potassium Sorbate
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
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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.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
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%.
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.
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.
Polyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
We don't have a description for PPG-15 Stearyl Ether yet.
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!