Herbivore Moon Fruit 1% Bakuchiol + Peptides Retinol Alternative Serum Versus The Agency Milky Hydration Concentrate

Herbivore Moon Fruit 1% Bakuchiol + Peptides Retinol Alternative Serum Versus The Agency Milky Hydration Concentrate

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

This hydrating serum is formulated around Urea and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Triheptanoin

Propanediol

C9-12 Alkane

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Cetearyl Olivate

Sorbitan Olivate

Glycerin

Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract

Bakuchiol

Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract

Eragrostis Tef Seed Extract

Anigozanthos Flavidus Flower/Leaf Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Morus Alba Fruit Extract

Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract

Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate

Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Sclerotium Gum

Sodium Levulinate

Sodium Anisate

Citric Acid

Coco-Caprylate/Caprate

Decyl Glucoside

Sodium Phytate

Tocopheryl Acetate

Lauryl Glucoside

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Diisopropyl Adipate

Triethyl Citrate

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract

Rosa Damascena Extract

Alcohol

Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract

Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract

Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract

Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract

Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Extract

Cinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Wood Extract

Water, Triheptanoin, Propanediol, C9-12 Alkane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Bakuchiol, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Eragrostis Tef Seed Extract, Anigozanthos Flavidus Flower/Leaf Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Citric Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Phytate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Diisopropyl Adipate, Triethyl Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Extract, Cinnamomum Camphora Linalooliferum Wood Extract

Urea

Butylene Glycol

Sodium Citrate

1,2-Hexanediol

Isopentyldiol

Arachidyl Alcohol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Pentylene Glycol

Dimethicone

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate

Copper Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Behenyl Alcohol

Coco-Glucoside

Arachidyl Glucoside

Polyglutamic Acid

Hydroxyacetophenone

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Xanthan Gum

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose

Rutin

Ethylhexylglycerin

Phaseolus Lunatus Seed Extract

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Urea, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isopentyldiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Arachidyl Glucoside, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Phytate, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rutin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phaseolus Lunatus Seed Extract

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

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%.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.

Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.

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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