Pacifica Vegan Collagen Recovery Eye Cream Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask

Pacifica Vegan Collagen Recovery Eye Cream Versus Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask

This barrier-repair eye moisturizer is formulated around Caffeine and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract to strengthen the skin barrier.

This anti-aging eye mask is formulated around Persea Gratissima Oil and Niacinamide to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Cetearyl Olivate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Glycerin

Sorbitan Olivate

Glyceryl Caprylate

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Hydrolyzed Brassica Napus Seedcake Extract

Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract

Arnica Montana Flower Extract

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil

Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters

Caffeine

Allantoin

Panthenol

Sodium Hyaluronate

Tocopherol

Quartz

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil

Arginine

Bentonite

Coconut Alkanes

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Cetyl Esters

Stearic Acid

Cetearyl Glucoside

Xanthan Gum

Maltodextrin

Glucose

Phenoxyethanol

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Cetearyl Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sr-Hydrozoan Polypeptide-1, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Brassica Napus Seedcake Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caffeine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Quartz, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Arginine, Bentonite, Coconut Alkanes, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Esters, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Glucose, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

Propanediol

Glyceryl Stearate

Persea Gratissima Oil

C9-12 Alkane

Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate

Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract

Squalane

Niacinamide

Ethylhexylglycerin

Hexylresorcinol

Oryza Sativa Extract

Tocopheryl Acetate

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract

Hyaluronic Acid

Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Retinol

Pei-10

Hydrated Silica

Sodium Chloride

Fructan

Spirulina Maxima Extract

Curcumin

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Potassium Chloride

Potassium Phosphate

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Phosphate

Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate

Maltooligosyl Glucoside

Silica Dimethyl Silylate

Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine

Sodium Hydroxide

Citric Acid

Caprylyl Glycol

Kaolin

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Extract

Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate

Polyisobutene

Pvp

C13-15 Alkane

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer

Hexylene Glycol

Aroma

Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, C9-12 Alkane, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Squalane, Niacinamide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylresorcinol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Pei-10, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Chloride, Fructan, Maltodextrin, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Curcumin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Phosphate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Arginine, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Kaolin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Polyisobutene, Pvp, C13-15 Alkane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Aroma

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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.

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.

Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.

It plays several roles in a formula:

Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.

Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.

However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.

Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.

Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.

Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.

This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.

A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.

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.

Maltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.

This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).

Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.

Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.

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.

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.

Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.

These compounds protect your skin two ways:

1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin. 2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.

Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.

Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

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.

Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.

In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:

Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

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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