While retinol is the number one skincare ingredient recommended by dermatologists and skincare experts to effectively reduce and prevent dark spots, brighten up a dull complexion and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles, it can result in skin irritations such as peeling, dryness, flakiness and sun-sensitivity. Retinol is also not recommended for skincare whilst pregnant or breastfeeding. 

Bakuchiol is fast becoming a popular retinol alternative suitable for sensitive skin concerns (keeping in mind sensitive skin can also react to even natural ingredients). It can give all the benefits of retinol without the peeling and stinging often associated with retinol use. Bakuchiol is a completely natural, plant-derived (from babchi seeds and leaves) and clinically proven retinol alternative.

Research has proven this ingredient to be a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It is stable in sunlight and isn’t known to make skin more sun-sensitive.

Recent clinical studies have also found that it not only behaves like retinol to stimulate collagen production, but applying just a 0.5% concentration can result in "significant improvement" in wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. 

Bakuchiol is also known to be an effective in reducing acne especially when combined with salicylic acid, which results in a synergistic and effective treatment of acne. This ingredient is pretty impressive!

If you need preventative skincare that has the power of retinol, safe for everyday use to brighten complexion and fight signs of ageing, we highly recommend our Age Defy Facial Oil which contains a safe and effective concentration of 1% Bakuchiol. 

Please see below for more info on the recent studies done on Bakuchiol

Source: Chaudhuri, Ratan, Marchio, Francois 2011/01/01
SP - 502, EP - 510 T1 - Bakuchiol in the management of acne-affected Skin, VL - 126, JO - Cosmet. Toilet.

2019 STUDY IN THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY - Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing

44 volunteers were asked to apply either bakuchiol 0.5% cream twice daily, or retinol 0.5% cream daily for 12 weeks. 

The study found that bakuchiol and retinol both significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistical difference between the two compounds. However, the retinol users reported more skin scaling and stinging.  0.5% Retinol has previously been shown to be effective at preventing and addressing signs of skin ageing but can have side effects including stinging, scaling and redness....

The results were most marked after the full 12 weeks, with a 20% reduction in WRINKLE SEVERITY. 59% of the people in the bakuchiol group showed improvement in their hyperpigmentation at week 12, compared to 44% in the retinol group.

The findings of this study are promising for bakuchiol as an effective anti‐ageing treatment with minimal side effects.

Source: Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, Notay M, Trivedi M, Burney W, Vaughn AR, Nguyen M, Reiter P, Bosanac S, Yan H, Foolad N, Sivamani RK. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. Br J Dermatol. 2019 Feb;180(2):289-296. doi: 10.1111/bjd.16918. Epub 2018 Sep 21. PMID: 29947134.

2014 STUDY IN THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE - Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects

The study found that while Bakuchiol does not have any structural resemblance to retinoids, it can function as an anti-ageing ingredient through retinol-like functionality. It was found that bakuchiol has great overall similarity to retinol on gene expressions and can stimulate collagen production like retinol does.  

"Bakuchiol was also formulated into a finished skin care product and was tested in clinical case study by twice-a-day facial application. The results showed that, after 12 weeks treatment, significant improvement in lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness and overall reduction in photo-damage was observed, without usual retinol therapy-associated undesirable effects" 

Source: Chaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2014 Jun;36(3):221-30. doi: 10.1111/ics.12117. Epub 2014 Mar 6. PMID: 24471735.