What it does
A plant-derived antioxidant that behaves like a gentle retinol alternative, supporting the look of firmer, smoother skin and softening the appearance of fine lines without retinol's irritation.
Best for
Sensitive skin, anyone who cannot tolerate retinol, and routines that want anti-age benefits with less flaking and redness.
What is bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant used as a gentle alternative to retinol. It comes from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant and is not chemically a retinoid, but it works on similar skin pathways to support the look of firmer, smoother skin.
Its appeal is tolerability. Bakuchiol delivers anti-age benefits with far less of the dryness, flaking, and redness that retinol can cause, which makes it a common pick for sensitive skin.
Is bakuchiol as effective as retinol?
Bakuchiol performs comparably to retinol for the look of lines and pigmentation, with less irritation, though it has less long-term data behind it.
In a randomized, double-blind trial, bakuchiol and retinol improved wrinkles and pigmentation to a similar degree, but the retinol users reported more scaling and stinging.
For the strongest, best-studied result, retinoids are still the reference. Bakuchiol is the better choice when tolerability matters more than maximum strength, or when retinol has irritated you before.
Who should use bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol suits sensitive, reactive, or retinol-intolerant skin. It does not increase sun sensitivity, so it can be used morning or night, and it layers safely with most actives. Apply it after cleansing, follow with moisturizer, and keep daily sunscreen in the routine.
Evidence
In a randomized, double-blind trial, topical bakuchiol improved the appearance of wrinkles and pigmentation comparably to retinol, with less irritation and peeling.
Read the source: British Journal of Dermatology: randomized double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing (2019) ->
