Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides for oily skin
Bakuchiol
Peptides
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Tocopherol
Moringa Oleifera Seed OilAverage
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate suitability for oily skin as bakuchiol and undenylenoyl phenylalanine provide excellent anti-aging benefits, but the presence of caprylic capric triglyceride and helianthus annuus seed oil offers hydration rather than strong oil control for your oily shine.
- Centella asiatica leaf extract and eclipta prostrata extract offer general skincare benefits that support overall skin health.
- The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsIt is highly praised for its hydrating and plumping effects, leaving skin smooth and dewy. Some users note that anti-aging results are more subtle and take longer to appear compared to traditional Vitamin A products.
Highlights
Gentle retinol alternative Mostly Mentioned
- “Best retinol replacement”
- “Zero irritation or redness”
Hydrating and plumping Often Mentioned
- “Plumps skin with moisture”
- “Wake to glowing skin”
- “Instantly hydrating and soothing”
Luxurious texture Often Mentioned
- “Texture is divine”
- “Sinks in so nicely”
- “Silky, nourishing oil texture”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Notice texture improvement”
- “Skin feels much smoother”
- “Helps with uneven tone”
Slower results Sometimes Noted
- “Not as effective as retinol”
- “Did nothing for wrinkles”
- “Takes longer to see results”
High price Rarely Noted
- “Not worth the hype”
- “Pricey for what it is”
- “Expected more for the price”
Oily finish Rarely Noted
- “Oily texture unpleasant”
- “Bit too greasy for day”
- “Sits on top of skin”
Sources: lovi.care, lookfantastic.com, cultbeauty.com, adorebeauty.com.au, spacenk.com, dermstore.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides work for oily skin?
Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides works moderately well for oily skin, offering good anti-aging benefits while adding hydration rather than strong oil control. It is unlikely to cause irritation and supports overall skin health, though treatments for this skin need sebum-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or zinc PCA along with soothing extracts to properly manage excess shine.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
Bakuchiol and undecylenoyl phenylalanine make this serum a good fit for oily skin by providing anti-aging benefits without harsh irritation. However, because it contains oils that add hydration rather than strong oil control, an oily skin type needs sebum-controlling ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and ferulic acid for a better fit.
What does bakuchiol do for oily skin?
Bakuchiol helps balance oily skin, calms redness, and is unlikely to cause stinging or irritation while improving texture and breakouts. This type of skin needs ingredients that regulate sebum production and reduce inflammation without clogging pores.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
What do peptides do for oily skin?
For oily skin, certain peptides help keep skin calm and smooth while supporting firmness without feeling heavy. Because oily skin needs lightweight hydration, these ingredients work best when they do not clog pores, though individual results may vary.
Advanced Science, 2025International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin works best with products that provide oil control and lightweight hydration rather than heavy oils.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol, applying the treatment after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Since both ingredients target aging, spacing them out or introducing them slowly helps prevent irritation.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation, though oily skin needs ingredients that provide strong oil control.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This product is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on oily skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients. However, because it includes nourishing oils that add moisture rather than controlling shine, oily skin types often prefer a lighter formula with oil-absorbing ingredients.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023Emulgels containing Perilla frutescens seed oil, Moringa oleifera seed oil, and mixed seed oil microemulsions exhibit good stability, lack of cytotoxicity in PBMC, and no skin irritation or allergic reactions in human subjects.
Polymers, 2022A dermocosmetic containing bakuchiol, Ginkgo biloba extract, and mannitol improves inflammatory lesions, Investigator Global Assessment, and seborrhea intensity when added to adapalene 0.1% gel in patients with acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Topical application of a serum containing supramolecular Bakuchiol and Terminalia chebula extract significantly improved barrier function, reduced redness and sensitivity, and improved wrinkles and elasticity in 34 Chinese subjects with sensitive skin after 28 days.
Health Science Reports, 2025Bakuchiol functions as an anti-aging compound through retinol-like regulation of gene expression, producing significant improvements in lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness, and photo-damage after 12 weeks of twice-a-day facial application without usual retinol therapy-associated undesirable effects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Moringa seed oil stimulated sebaceous lipogenesis, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and exhibited a low n-6/n-3 index in cultured human SZ95 sebocytes compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023Topical Moringa oleifera seed oil and its main constituent oleic acid reduced acute and chronic skin inflammation and epidermal hypertrophy in mice through glucocorticoid receptor activation without dexamethasone-like adverse effects on organ weights.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020
Why other serums fit oily skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Krameria Triandra Root Extract, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Jojoba Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract Flower, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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