VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Vita-Light Eye Cream Versus AXIS - Y Vegan Collagen Eye Serum

VT Cosmetics Reedle Shot Vita-Light Eye Cream Versus AXIS - Y Vegan Collagen Eye Serum

This brightening eye moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Adenosine to fade the look of dark spots and soften the look of wrinkles.

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

Niacinamide

Glycerin

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Squalane

Panthenol

Bisabolol

Tromethamine

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Carbomer

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Xanthan Gum

Ethylhexylglycerin

Adenosine

Butylene Glycol

Pantolactone

Centella Asiatica Extract

Coptis Japonica Root Extract

Tocopherol

Ferulic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Beta-Glucan

Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate

Mentha Viridis Extract

Ascorbic Acid

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Biotin

Folic Acid

Pyridoxine

Silica

Glutathione

Glycine Soja Oil

Madecassoside

Madecassic Acid

Asiaticoside

Asiatic Acid

Propolis Extract

Cyanocobalamin

Retinol

Linoleic Acid

Riboflavin

Beta-Carotene

Inositol

Thiamine Hcl

Disodium EDTA

Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Squalane, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Tromethamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Pantolactone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Mentha Viridis Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine, Silica, Glutathione, Glycine Soja Oil, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Propolis Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Retinol, Linoleic Acid, Riboflavin, Beta-Carotene, Inositol, Thiamine Hcl, Disodium EDTA

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

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

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.

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.

That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.

These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.

Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.

Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.

Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:

So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.

Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:

Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.

Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.

It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.

On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.

Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.

But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.

Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).

The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).

In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.

Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

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.

Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate is a skin conditioner that is basically a fatty acid (stearic acid) hooked up to a chain of glycerin units.

It is a skin conditioning agent that helps skin feel soft, smooth, and hydrated.

Beyond that, it also helps emulsify and cleanse: it helps oil and water phases stay blended in moisturizers, serums, and cleansers.

This ingredient has been found to be safe in cosmetics at present concentrations and practices of use.

Research on Malassezia shows the yeast can metabolize stearic acid as a growth substrate; this ingredient is not fungal acne safe.

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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