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Bakuchiol

Psoralea corylifolia, the babchi plant

A plant-derived ingredient positioned as a gentler alternative to retinol, used to help skin look smoother and more even, without being a retinoid itself.

Source

Babchi seeds

Used for

The look of fine lines and uneven tone

How it works

The retinol alternative, by a different route.

Bakuchiol is extracted from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. Despite having no structural resemblance to retinoids, it has been studied in the laboratory as a plant-derived alternative to retinol, working by an entirely different route.

Studies on skin have linked bakuchiol with softer-looking lines and wrinkles and a more even-looking tone. Head-to-head research compared it with retinol and found similar improvements in the look of wrinkles and pigmentation, with less scaling and stinging than retinol.

As with any new ingredient, introduce it gradually, and finish every morning routine with your daily SPF.

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Used to help fine lines look softer and tone look more even over time
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Loved as a gentle alternative for skin that finds retinol too much
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A gentle choice for day or night, alongside your daily SPF

Questions

Is bakuchiol a retinoid?

No. Bakuchiol is a plant compound with no structural resemblance to retinoids. Laboratory work found it influences many of the same skin pathways as retinol, but by a different route, which is why it is described as a plant-based alternative to retinol rather than a form of it. (Chaudhuri & Bojanowski, 2014)

How does bakuchiol compare with retinol?

In head-to-head research, a bakuchiol cream and a retinol cream produced similar improvements in the look of wrinkles and pigmentation. People using retinol reported more scaling and stinging. (Dhaliwal et al., 2019)

How long does bakuchiol take to make a visible difference?

It rewards consistent, patient use. In studies, the look of lines and wrinkles had begun to shift within the first few weeks, with results continuing to build over the following months. (Chaudhuri & Bojanowski, 2014; Dhaliwal et al., 2019)

Is bakuchiol a good choice if retinol feels too strong?

It is often chosen for exactly that reason. In the head-to-head study, bakuchiol was associated with less scaling and stinging than retinol. As with any new ingredient, introduce it gradually. (Dhaliwal et al., 2019)

Where it comes from

Bakuchiol comes from the seeds of the babchi plant, Cullen corylifolium (long known as Psoralea corylifolia), a member of the pea family that grows in seasonally dry tropical regions from north-east Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula across India to South-East Asia. (Kew, Plants of the World Online)

For skincare, bakuchiol is isolated from the seed as a single compound, which is why it appears on ingredient lists simply as "Bakuchiol" rather than as a seed extract. (Chaudhuri & Bojanowski, 2014)

Good to know

Bakuchiol slips easily into a morning or evening routine and layers well under your moisturiser. Use it consistently for the smoothest, most even-looking results, and finish with a daily SPF in the morning. As with any new skincare, patch test first if your skin is easily irritated.

The research