MEDI-PEEL Bakuchiol Miracle Firming Ampoule Versus Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum
This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Niacinamide and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
This smoothing serum is formulated around Bakuchiol to refine skin texture and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Lilium Candidum Callus Culture Extract
Antimicrobial
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCastanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glucose
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Diglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-51, Bakuchiol, Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Lilium Candidum Callus Culture Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glucose, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Resveratrol, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Parfum, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningLentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingPolygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
ChelatingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
ChelatingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
ChelatingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Piroctone Olamine, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol, Pisum Sativum Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lecithin, Coco-Caprylate, Tribehenin, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum
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
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 BakuchiolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Learn more about GlycerinWater. 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!
Learn more about Water
