Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

Tatcha Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Eye Serum Versus Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract 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

Glycerin

Propanediol

PEG-400

Squalane

Sericin

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract

Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate

Caffeine

Royal Jelly Extract

Thymus Serpyllum Extract

Gold

Algae Extract

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Persea Gratissima Oil

Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Inositol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Glycosyl Trehalose

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Potassium Hydroxide

Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine

Natto Gum

Xanthan Gum

Disodium EDTA

Sorbitan Stearate

Dimethicone

Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate

Carbomer

Mica

Tin Oxide

Titanium Dioxide

Butylene Glycol

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Chloride

Ethylhexylglycerin

Behenyl Alcohol

Alcohol

Phenoxyethanol

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, PEG-400, Squalane, Sericin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Origanum Majorana Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Caffeine, Royal Jelly Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Gold, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Inositol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Natto Gum, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Carbomer, Mica, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol

Methyl Trimethicone

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Sucrose

Petrolatum

Polysorbate 40

Trehalose

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

Glycine Soja Seed Extract

Isopropyl Jojobate

Jojoba Esters

Isohexadecane

Faex Extract

Hordeum Vulgare Extract

PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone

Cholesterol

Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Sodium Rna

Polysorbate 80

Caprylyl Glycol

Phytosphingosine

Potassium Sulfate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Tripeptide-32

Tromethamine

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

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.

Algae Extract is one of the vaguest names on any label because it just means "extract of some alga" (and there are thousands of species and dozens of ways to extract them). This just means two products listing it can contain completely different things.

This ingredient name was actually officially retired in the INCI dictionary in 2015 and brands were pushed toward species-specific names instead (like Laminaria Digitata Extract or Chondrus Crispus Extract).

Generally, it is used to hold water and soften skin in a formula. Algae are rich in polysaccharides, pigments, and amino-acids that act as humectants, emollients, and skin-conditioning agents.

It isn't on standard cosmetic-patch test panels and "seaweed dermatitis" is actually an acute irritant reaction to algal toxins in seawater and not the cosmetic ingredient.

You'll see algae listed as a 5/5 on a lot of pore-clogging charts and that number doesn't come from anywhere; it's not in the original rabbit-ear studies that most comedogenic ratings trace back to.

The reasoning behind the reputation is that seaweed is high in iodine and iodine can trigger acne-like breakouts when eaten. This traces back to a 1976 letter in Archives of Dermatology describing two women whose breakouts cleared after they stopped taking high-dose kelp supplements orally.

And the reaction of these two women wasn't clogged pores at all: it was an iodine-triggered pustular rash. Later research found normal dietary iodine doesn't meaningfully affect acne either and nobody has shown topical algae delivers enough iodine to matter.

What we do have is dozens of brown and red algae ingredients found to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing, and a handful of studies that found algae compounds may actually help acne.

However, plenty of people do report breaking out from algae-containing products. Skin is individual and it's worth avoiding if yours has reacted to algae before.

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.

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.

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.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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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