Dr Sam’s Flawless Brightly Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment

Dr Sam’s Flawless Brightly Serum Versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment Detailed comparison of Dr Sam’s Flawless Brightly Serum versus Paula's Choice Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. This brightening serum is formulated around Azelaic Acid and Niacinamide to fade the look of dark spots and brighten dull-looking skin. This anti-aging treatment is formulated around Bakuchiol and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture. Water Azelaic Acid Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Niacinamide Dicaprylyl Carbonate Ascorbyl Glucoside Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Glyceryl Stearate Se Cetearyl Olivate Bakuchiol Sorbitan Olivate Benzyl Alcohol Xanthan Gum Phenoxyethanol Sodium Hydroxide Disodium EDTA Dehydroacetic Acid Water, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Bakuchiol, Sorbitan Olivate, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid Dimethicone Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate Isononyl Isononanoate Butylene Glycol Arachidyl Alcohol Glyceryl Polymethacrylate Dimethicone Crosspolymer Behenyl Alcohol 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 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 Coco-Glucoside Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone N-Hydroxysuccinimide 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 Be the first to review 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. Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier. Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient. It plays several roles in a formula: Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products. Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people. However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers. Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy. Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans. Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients. This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with ch