Good Molecules Gentle Retinol Cream Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

Good Molecules Gentle Retinol Cream Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Retinol 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

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

C13-16 Isoparaffin

Glycerin

Diheptyl Succinate

Heptyl Undecylenate

1,2-Hexanediol

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Propanediol

Vitis Vinifera

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Bakuchiol

Tocopherol

Acmella Oleracea Extract

Butylene Glycol

Retinol

Allantoin

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Ethylhexylglycerin

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract

Water, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Glycerin, Diheptyl Succinate, Heptyl Undecylenate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Propanediol, Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol, Tocopherol, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Butylene Glycol, Retinol, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract

Dimethicone

Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate

Isononyl Isononanoate

Arachidyl Alcohol

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Behenyl Alcohol

PEG-75 Shea Butter Glycerides

Glyceryl Stearate

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Polysorbate 20

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate

Ceramide Ng

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Sodium Hyaluronate

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Arctium Lappa Root Extract

Glycine Soja Sterols

Lecithin

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

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.

Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.

Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

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.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Ethylhexylglycerin 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.

Glycerin (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.

Retinol is one of the most studied anti-aging ingredients in skincare (and for good reason!).

It's a form of vitamin A that your skin converts into Retinoic Acid, the active molecule that actually does the work in your cells.

That conversion happens in two steps: your skin first turns Retinol into Retinaldehyde (also called Retinal), then turns Retinaldehyde into Retinoic Acid.

Retinol is converted to biologically active retinoic acid via retinaldehyde by dehydrogenases in a two-step oxidation process.

Each step is a little "upgrade" toward the active form which is part of why Retinol is gentler than prescription Retinoic Acid; your skin does the work gradually. This also explains where Retinol sits in the retinoid family.

Here is the retinoid family ranked roughly by strength: Retinyl Esters (like Retinyl Palmitate) < Retinol < Retinaldehyde < Retinoic Acid.

Retinoid activity increases in that order, while tolerance runs in reverse; retinyl esters are the gentlest and retinoic acid the most irritating.

The more conversion steps an ingredient needs, the gentler (and slower) it tends to be, so Retinol lands in a nice middle spot. It's more effective than the esters, gentler than prescription options.

Once it becomes Retinoic Acid, it binds to receptors inside your cells' nuclei (called RARs and RXRs). These receptor pairs bind to specific DNA motifs called retinoic acid response elements and act like switches that turn certain genes on or off.

In practice, this means a few things happen in a formula. It:

That last two are worth a closer look.

A study that tested Retinol directly (not just prescription Retinoic Acid) found that four weeks of retinol thickened the epidermis and switched on the genes for Collagen I and Collagen III, with more procollagen I and III showing up in the skin. And after twelve weeks, facial wrinkles were visibly reduced.

Retinoids more broadly stimulate the skin's synthesis of hyaluronan and other glycosaminoglycans, part of what gives skin a plumper, more hydrated look over time.

So even the gentler OTC form is doing real structural work (not just sitting on the surface).

It's also worth knowing Retinol isn't only a wrinkle ingredient; it can help with uneven tone, dark spots, rough texture, and the look of pores as well because it speeds up turnover and influences pigment.

The research backs this up as well.

A pooled analysis of six clinical studies found that 0.1% stabilized retinol improved all signs of photoaging versus vehicle as early as week 4 and through 12 weeks, with only a few mild cases of irritation.

Another study comparing concentrations found that 0.3% and 1% Retinol were similarly effective at remodeling photodamaged skin, but 0.3% caused fewer adverse reactions when used daily (a useful reminder that more isn't always better).

Retinol is about tenfold less potent than Retinoic Acid. This is why it works as a gentler, non-prescription option that builds results over time.

Typical concentrations range from 0.1-1%, with 0.1% to 0.3% being a well-supported sweet spot for visible benefits with good tolerability.

One quirk worth mentioning: Retinol is famously unstable.

It's highly sensitive to light and oxygen, and UV exposure breaks it down into a range of degradation products.

Real-world testing bears this out, with retinoid content in some products dropping anywhere from 0% to 80% after six months at room temperature, and even more at higher temperatures.

This is why good formulations lean on opaque, air-tight packaging (think tubes and pumps, not clear jars) and often "encapsulate" the Retinol to shield it.

Signs of oxidation include your product turning yellow or smelling "off". Keeping it somewhere cool and dark, and using it up within a few months of opening helps it stay effective.

The most common side effects are mild and temporary: usually some dryness, redness, or light peeling as your skin adjusts. These tend to settle with consistent and lower-frequency use.

Like all retinoids, Retinol works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinol once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low. Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

One safety note: topical Retinoids aren't recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Systemic absorption from creams is low but because high oral vitamin A is a known teratogen and topical safety data are limited, most clinicians recommend stopping retinoids when pregnant or trying to conceive.

Salix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.

Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.

Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.

However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.

An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.

Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.

Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.

Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.

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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

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