Skin science article
Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides Versus Indeed Labs Retinol Reface Serum
Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides Versus Indeed Labs Retinol Reface Serum This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness. This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Ba
Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides Versus Indeed Labs Retinol Reface Serum
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Bakuchiol and Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and calm redness.
This anti-aging night moisturizer is formulated around Bakuchiol and Retinol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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
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
Water
Dimethicone
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
Isononyl Isononanoate
Propanediol
Cetearyl Alcohol
Caprylyl Methicone
Cetyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Pentylene Glycol
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Cetearyl Glucoside
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
1,2-Hexanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Isohexadecane
Butylene Glycol
Xanthan Gum
Glycine Soja Oil
Polysorbate 80
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Sorbitan Oleate
Retinol
Carbomer
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
Propylene Glycol Alginate
Water, Dimethicone, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Bakuchiol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Oleate, Retinol, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Tocopherol, Propylene Glycol Alginate
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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.
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.