What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Extract
AntioxidantVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientNopalea Cochenillifera Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantVaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil
AntioxidantMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialNigella Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientResveratrol
AntioxidantGynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf/Stem Extract
AntioxidantLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningAzadirachta Indica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningWater, Mandelic Acid, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Nopalea Cochenillifera Extract, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Resveratrol, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf/Stem Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Azadirachta Indica Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil