Retinol vs bakuchiol

Autumn is fast approaching. It’s the season for ankle boots, ginger tea… and retinol! Less exposure to sunlight makes retinol treatments safer to use. Recently, bakuchiol has become a major skincare trend, often hailed as “plant-based retinol.” But is it really as effective?

Retinol is a multifunctional active ingredient: it reduces the appearance of wrinkles, helps fade hyperpigmentation, has anti-acne properties, improves skin elasticity, and is also a powerful antioxidant. Unfortunately, higher concentrations often come with an unwanted side effect: skin peeling and irritation. This is due to the action of retinoic acid, which retinol is converted into. For many users, this can be a significant drawback.

The growing cosmetic ingredients industry recognized the brightening properties of babchi oil (also known as bakuchi oil), in which the compound responsible for this effect was identified. That compound was bakuchiol, which has become a major skincare trend in recent years.

Why is bakuchiol considered to be as effective as retinol?

Because the chemical structures of the two substances are very similar. However, the most important advantage of bakuchiol is that it cannot be converted into an irritating form of retinoic acid, as can happen with retinol.

Numerous specialized studies have been conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of bakuchiol. In a skin model study examining gene expression modulation, bakuchiol was found to affect the same genes as retinol. It also effectively inhibits the activity of enzymes involved in inflammation, such as cyclooxygenases, as well as enzymes that contribute to collagen degradation. In addition, it has antioxidant properties, which may help prolong cell longevity.

To sum up, when it comes to bakuchiol, we can confidently say that it offers many of the benefits associated with retinol. Does it have any drawbacks? Yes - just one.

Its high price. :)