Bakuchiol – The Natural Alternative to Retinol
Bakuchiol (pronounced ‘back-oo-chiol') has recently attracted much interest in the world of natural skincare. In particular, its reputation a natural alternative to Vitamin A – minus the side effects, has proven to be a big drawcard.
Where does Bakuchiol come from?
Bakuchiol is a plant-based skincare ingredient, extracted from the seeds of the Bakuchi/Babchi (Psoralea corylifolia) plant using a proprietary extraction process. PureNature also has Bakuchi Oil (carrier/vegetable oil) - which is cold pressed from the seed and naturally contains about 2% Bakuchiol.
Skin Benefits of Bakuchiol
The benefits of Bakuchiol are likened to those of retinoids but without the side effects which can unfortunately be more likely to occur for those with sensitive skin. We can look at the 2018 study to validate some of the benefits in comparison to retinoids (Vitamin A).
- Stimulates collagen production.
- May reduce wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.
- Helpful for acne prone skin.
In the study it was concluded that “... bakuchiol is comparable with retinol in its ability to improve photoaging and is better tolerated than retinol. Bakuchiol is promising as a more tolerable alternative to retinol”.
How to use Bakuchiol
It is said that Bakuchiol does not have the photo-sensitising action that retinol can have, meaning that I can be applied in the morning if adequate sun protection is used.
The usage rate is: 0.5% - 2%. Most formulators will use it around 1%. It is an oil-based product, the easiest ways to use it are:
- Add 1% to your moisturiser lotion base (eg. 1g to 99grams of base).
- Add 1% to you face oil formula - find our new recipe here
- Formulate a water-based serum and add 1%
References:
Dhaliwal S et al., Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing (open access), Br J Dermatol. 2019, 180, 289-296. DOI: 10.1111/bjd.16918.
