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Score legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES LEARN MORE ABOUT EWG VERIFIED®
Product score: 02

Data Availability:

Limited

Kiehls Vitamin C Eye Serum

Kiehls Vitamin C Eye Serum

WHERE TO BUY

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CATEGORY

Around Eye Cream
Serums & Essences

BRAND

Kiehl's

DATA LAST UPDATED

January 2021

Ingredient concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • MODERATE
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • MODERATE
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient scores

Ingredients are scored based on their formulation and concentration in this product. Click on an ingredient for more information.

Ingredient score: 03
PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, humectant, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin-conditioningagent - miscellaneous, solvent, viscosity decreasing agent, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Enhanced skin absorption
• Use restrictions (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 04
DIMETHICONE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antifoaming agent, skin-conditioning agent - occlusive, skin protectant, antifoaming, emollient, skin conditioning, skin protecting
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
• Persistence and bioaccumulation (high)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Ecotoxicology (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
GLYCERIN
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) denaturant, fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, humectant, oral care agent;oral health care drug, skin-conditioning agent - humectant, skin protectant, viscosity decreasing agent, perfuming, solvent
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C)
Appeared as: ASCORBIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) antioxidant, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, buffering, masking, skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) emulsion stabilizer, hair fixative, suspending agent - nonsurfactant, viscosity increasingagent - nonaqueous, emulsion stabilising, hair fixing, viscosity controlling
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 03
CETYL PEG/ PPG-10/ 1 DIMETHICONE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, surfactant - emulsifying agent, emulsifying, skin conditioning, surfactant
CONCERNS • Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
CYCLOHEXASILOXANE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - emollient, solvent, emollient, hair conditioning, skin conditioning
CONCERNS • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Ecotoxicology (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
WATER
Data Availability: Robust
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FUNCTION(S) solvent
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
HYDROXYETHYLPIPERAZINE ETHANE SULFONIC ACID
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) buffering agent, buffering
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
LAUROYL LYSINE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, hair conditioning, skin conditioning, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) absorbent, anticaking agent, viscosity increasing agent - nonaqueous, anticaking, viscosity controlling
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Contamination concerns (ALUMINUM POWDER)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
POLYSILICONE-11
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) film former, film forming
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
TITANIUM DIOXIDE
Appeared as: CI 77891/TITANIUM DIOXIDE
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) colorant, opacifying agent, sunscreen agent, ultraviolet light absorber
CONCERNS • Cancer (moderate)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)
• Occupational hazards (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
ADENOSINE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID
Data Availability: Limited
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Ingredient score: 03
STEARETH-20
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) surfactant - cleansing agent, surfactant - emulsifying agent, surfactant - solubilizing agent
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (low)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
• Contamination concerns (ETHYLENE OXIDE and 1,4-DIOXANE)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 04
CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUCONATE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) cosmetic biocide, oral care agent, preservative, antimicrobial, oral care
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Use restrictions (moderate)
• Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate)
• Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
N-HYDROXYSUCCINIMIDE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
SODIUM CITRATE
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) ph adjuster, buffering, chelating, masking
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
POTASSIUM SORBATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) fragrance ingredient, preservative
CONCERNS • Allergies/immunotoxicity (moderate)
• Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
CHRYSIN
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE
Data Availability: Limited
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FUNCTION(S) antioxidant
CONCERNS • Persistence and bioaccumulation (high)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7
Data Availability: None
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FUNCTION(S) skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 02
CITRIC ACID
Data Availability: Good
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FUNCTION(S) chelating agent, fragrance ingredient, ph adjuster, buffering, chelating, masking
CONCERNS • Use restrictions (moderate)
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT
Ingredient score: 01
BIOTIN
Data Availability: Fair
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FUNCTION(S) hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent - miscellaneous, antiseborrhoeic, hair conditioning, skin conditioning
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS INGREDIENT

Ingredients from packaging:

Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Water, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysilicone-11, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Steareth-20, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chrysin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-Butyl Hydroxyhydro-cinnamate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Biotin.

Product's animal testing policies

Some cosmetics companies have taken People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Leaping Bunny animal-testing pledges. For consumers who are concerned about companies’ policies on animal testing, Skin Deep reports this information.


PETA: Companies That Do Test on Animals

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a leading international animal rights advocacy organization, has identified companies that "either test on animals or pay a laboratory to conduct tests on animals."

LEARN MORE ON PETA.ORG

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

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