Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum versus Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum .
Published on December 25, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Price
Ingredient Info
MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum 21 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum 21 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum 21 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Water • Glyceryl Oleate Citrate • Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Bakuchiol • Butyrospermum Parkii Butter • Tocopherol • Cetearyl Alcohol • Phospholipids • Glycine Soja Oil • Glycolipids • Glycine Soja Sterols • Xanthan Gum • Lecithin • Sclerotium Gum • Pullulan • Sodium Citrate • Potassium Sorbate • Piroctone Olamine • Parfum • Citric Acid
Water • Niacinamide • Glycerin • Tranexamic Acid • C13-15 Alkane • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Dicaprylyl Carbonate • Ethyl Macadamiate • Behenyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate • Butylene Glycol • Silybum Marianum Seed Oil • Tocopherol • Lactobacillus/Coconut Fruit Juice Ferment Filtrate • Lecithin • Bakuchiol • Xanthan Gum • Caprylyl Glycol • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Allantoin • Glycine Soja Oil • Hexylene Glycol • Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract • Glycine Soja Sterols • Citric Acid • Sodium Phytate • Malic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 4.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant (it's vegan!). It is often called the replacement for retinol although it is not part of the same family.
It has similar effects as retinol: skin smoothing, reducing discoloration, and preventing wrinkles. It does not cause as much irritation as traditional retinoids.
Bakuchiol works by breaking down free radicals and stimulating collagen production in skin.
Combining bakuchiol with retinol will not have adverse side effects. Studies show using them will just boost the benefits. Bakuchiol is also found to help stabilize retinol.
While bakuchiol does not make the skin more sun sensitive, we recommend wearing SPF on a daily basis.
Read more about traditional retinol
Learn more about BakuchiolMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 5.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 16.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Glycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.
Glycine Soja Sterols is derived from the soybean plant. Sterols are an organic compound and technically an alcohol.
Unlike solvent alcohols, glycine soja sterols have emollient properties and help hydrate the skin.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Sterols can be found in plants, animals, and fungi.
Learn more about Glycine Soja SterolsMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 24.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan GumMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 13.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 17.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Learn more about LecithinMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidMooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum contains this as ingredient number 21.
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains this as ingredient number 25.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum 21 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
MooGoo Bakuchiol (1%) Natural Retinol Substitute Active Serum 21 ingredients
Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum 29 ingredients
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