✶

Herbivore Bakuchiol… vs The Ordinary Buffet — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum
/vs
/The Ordinary Buffet

Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum vs The Ordinary Buffet

Head to head

✶

Herbivore

Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum

serumpremium

6.0

Buy at Amazon

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

✶

The Ordinary

Buffet

serumbudget

8.8

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

The Ordinary Buffet takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

Herbivore wins 0

Tied 2

The Ordinary wins 3

6.0Herbivore

+2.8vs

8.8The Ordinary

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

The Ordinary WINS

3.1

8.7

Herbivore

The Ordinary

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Herbivore

The Ordinary

Active Ingredient Strength

The Ordinary WINS

3.1

8.4

Herbivore

The Ordinary

Ingredient Transparency

The Ordinary WINS

6.0

8.5

Herbivore

The Ordinary

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

Herbivore

The Ordinary

Ingredient face-off

0% overlap

5Herbivore

0Shared

48The Ordinary

Only in Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum

5 unique

Squalane Bakuchiol Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil Tocopherol Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract

Shared ingredients

0 in common

Only in The Ordinary Buffet

48 unique

Aqua (Water)Glycerin Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 Pentapeptide-18 Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer Sodium Hyaluronate Allantoin

Why The Ordinary Buffet comes out ahead

Where The Ordinary Buffet really shines is hydration efficacy, scoring 8.7 compared to Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum's 3.1. With Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, and Trehalose in its top ingredients, The Ordinary Buffet delivers stronger moisture-binding capability.

Active Ingredient Strength is another area of separation. The Ordinary Buffet scores 8.4 here versus 3.1 for Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

The Ordinary Buffet brings Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and Allantoin as actives, while herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum relies on Bakuchiol, Tocopherol, and Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

The Ordinary Buffet is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 does the heavy lifting

Value comparison

At premium pricing with a score of 6.0, Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum is a decent pick. The Ordinary Buffet sits at the budget level with a 8.8 score — the higher investment pays off in formulation quality.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.8 lead

The Ordinary Buffet wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

✶

6.0Herbivore

✶

8.8The Ordinary

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum or The Ordinary Buffet?

Based on ingredient analysis, The Ordinary Buffet scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum and The Ordinary Buffet share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum and The Ordinary Buffet?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum→Full analysis: The Ordinary Buffet→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

+38 more