Bakuchiol: What You Need To Know About This Natural Retinol Alternative

09 Jan Bakuchiol: What You Need To Know About This Natural Retinol Alternative

Looking for a natural anti-aging product that’s super gentle, vegan, reduces fine lines, and diminishes dark circles? Well, here is the perfect product for you, a Natural Retinol Alternative–Bakuchiol serum. A natural skincare product that proves to have the skin benefits of retinol, but with fewer side effects.

For years Retinol has been considered the gold standard anti-aging ingredient, but some people’s skin is sensitive and can’t tolerate Retinol. The solution to this problem is the botanical ingredient called bakuchiol. Recent studies show that Bakuchiol works just as well as Retinol, inducing similar gene expression and help with photoaging [1]. Bakuchiol was also proven to be less irritating to the skin and as an added bonus it is natural and vegan.

Bakuchiol vs Retinol

Backuchiol comes from the seeds and leaves of Psoralea corylifolia plant essentially making it a vegan OTC product. It also has shown to have a number of antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties [3].

Retinol is a form of vitamin A which our body gets from animal products. Over the years it has been one of the best-studied ingredients out there that improve collagen production.

A double-blind clinical trial was completed in 2018, over a 12 weeks period. Participants used either bakuchiol 0·5% cream twice daily or retinol 0·5% cream and both groups saw improvements in redness, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation [2].  As an added bonus the Bakuchiol group saw less flaking than the retinol group. 

What does Bakuchiol Do For Your Skin

Research shows that Bakuchiol helps to repair skin damage through collagen production and cellular turnover which helps reduce wrinkles. It’s also known to help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation.

Bakuchiol Is Maternity Safe

This is probably the greatest difference between retinol and Bakuchiol. There is development/reproductive concerns when it comes to using traditional Retinol. According to the EWG Retinol is human reproductive toxicant, with limited evidence of reproductive toxicity and  developmental toxicity. So it is important to avoid retinol altogether until your little nugget is safely out of the oven. Depending on usage the EWG ranks Retinol a 6-9 on the scale of safety concern, while Bakuchiol’s EWG ranking is a 1. If you are looking for something to use during pregnancy Bakuchiol might be a good option. Before starting any new product, chat with your doctor to be 100% sure that it’s safe for you to use.

Final Thoughts On Bakuchiol

If you are looking for a more natural anti-aging product Bakuchiol is a good place to start. Non-prescription retinol like Bakuchiol might not deliver results as quickly, but it can definitely help improve your skin. At the end of the day, it really all depends on how intense of a product you want. If you want faster results, and don’t care about the “clean” factor or you are treating acne-prone skin then you might want to ask your dermatologist about getting a retinoid prescription. Retinoids are stronger than retinol and work a little faster, so ask yourself what is your overall goal?

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