Benton Bakuchiol Serum Versus Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides

Benton Bakuchiol Serum Versus Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides

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

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Bakuchiol

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Behenyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Psoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract

Carbomer

Arginine

Artemisia Vulgaris Oil

Xanthan Gum

Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Allantoin

Adenosine

Tocopherol

Lavandula Angustifolia Oil

Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil

Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Psoralea Corylifolia Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Krameria Triandra Root Extract

Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract

Corallina Officinalis Extract

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract

Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Krameria Triandra Root Extract, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

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.

Caprylic/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%.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

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