Promising

Bakuchiol

Botanical retinol-alternative for wrinkles, gentler.

What the evidence says

One human study compared it to retinol; more trials are needed.

Best forSensitive skin that can't tolerate retinol
INCI namesBakuchiol
Evidence basisDhaliwal et al., 2019 (Br J Dermatol)

How to use it

Unlike retinol, it can be used morning and night and doesn't photosensitize. Typical concentrations: 0.5–2%. No adjustment period needed, which makes it easy to slot in.

What it pairs with

Compatible with everything, including exfoliants and vitamin C. It can also be combined with retinol to stack effects at lower doses of each.

Frequently asked questions

Does bakuchiol work as well as retinol?

The reference study (Dhaliwal 2019) found similar improvements in wrinkles and pigmentation with less irritation — but it's a single trial with 44 people using 0.5% bakuchiol twice daily. Promising evidence, not equivalent to retinol's decades of studies.

Is it safe during pregnancy?

It's not a retinoid (it's an extract of the Psoralea corylifolia plant) and doesn't share retinoids' risk, but there are no specific studies in pregnant women either. Many dermatologists consider it the reasonable alternative; check with yours.

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