K-Secret Seoul 1988 Eye Cream : Retinal Liposome 4% + Fermented Bean Versus AXIS - Y Vegan Collagen Eye Serum

K-Secret Seoul 1988 Eye Cream : Retinal Liposome 4% + Fermented Bean Versus AXIS - Y Vegan Collagen Eye Serum

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

This anti-aging eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 to soften the look of wrinkles.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Dipropylene Glycol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

1,2-Hexanediol

Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate

Niacinamide

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Cetearyl Alcohol

Butylene Glycol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Propanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Cholesterol

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Brassica Campestris Sterols

Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate

Retinal

Silica

Disodium EDTA

Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate

Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment

Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract

Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate

Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate

Tocopherol

Potassium Cetyl Phosphate

Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Sodium Hyaluronate

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Cnidium Officinale Root Extract

Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract

Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract

Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract

3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid

Bakuchiol

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Retinal, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Bakuchiol, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1

Methylpropanediol

Collagen

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Hexapeptide-9

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Prunus Mume Fruit Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil

Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract

Ceramide NP

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

C13-14 Alkane

Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer

C15-23 Alkane

Decyl Glucoside

Caprylyl Glycol

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Adenosine, Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C13-14 Alkane, Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer, C15-23 Alkane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Tocopherol

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.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

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.

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.

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).

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

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.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

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.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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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