What is Bakuchiol?

• Bakuchiol is a plant-derived ingredient isolated from the seeds of the plant Psoralea corylifolia (Buguchi). Bakuchiol is a small molecule that mimics certain actions of retinol via topical skin application, without having the negative aspects of Retinol.

What are the benefits of Bakuchiol for the skin and face?

• Bakuchiol and retinol both significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and dark spots with no statistical difference between the compounds. Retinol users noted more facial scaling and stinging (Dhaliwal et la., 2019 publication).
• After 12 weeks of treatment with a Bakuchiol lotion, significant improvements in wrinkle depth and skin roughness confirmed with silicone replica analysis. In addition, significant improvement in lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness and overall photoaging parameters were observed. (Chaudhuri and Bojanowski 2014 publication).

Is Bakuchiol the same as Retinol?

• Bakuchiol is a plant-derived ingredient which induces anti-aging benefits in the skin similar to retinol. (Dhaliwal et al 2019).
• While Bakuchiol has comparable anti-aging effects to retinol, it is not retinol or a Vitamin A derivative and it has no structural resemblance to retinoids.
• Bakuchiol is in a different chemical family than retinoids and studies have shown that Bakuchiol does not act on retinoid receptor RARγ (Data on File) which is activated by retinoids. (Fisher etal 1998).
• Bakuchiol has demonstrated in ex vivo and in vivo studies to have antioxidative properties, anti-inflammatory effects, improvement of extracellular matrix components, and promotion of epidermal regeneration which contributes to the anti-aging benefits of Bakuchiol. (Bluemke et al 2022)

Is Bakuchiol Safe to Use During Pregnancy?

• Bakuchiol has not been studied for use during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or considering pregnancy, consult your physician before using the bakuchiol-containing products.