Aroma-Zone Sérum Bakuchiol Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

Aroma-Zone Sérum Bakuchiol Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Squalane and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Squalane

Isosorbide Dicaprylate

Bakuchiol 1%

Squalane, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Bakuchiol 1%

Water

Dimethicone

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Isononyl Isononanoate

Butylene Glycol

Bakuchiol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Behenyl Alcohol

Glycerin

PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides

Glyceryl Stearate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Polysorbate 20

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Retinol

Ceramide Ng

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Glycine Soja Sterols

Lecithin

Allantoin

Tocopheryl Acetate

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Sodium Hydroxide

Tribehenin

Caprylyl Glycol

Dipeptide-2

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

PEG-10 Phytosterol

PEG-8

Magnesium Aluminum Silicate

Arachidyl Glucoside

Chrysin

Pentylene Glycol

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Steareth-20

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Cetearyl Alcohol

Coco-Glucoside

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

N-Hydroxysuccinimide

Disodium EDTA

Phenoxyethanol

Benzoic Acid

Ethylhexylglycerin

Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, PEG-10 Phytosterol, PEG-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

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.

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