There are so many anti aging creams, lotions, and potions out there that its hard to make a decision on which ones to buy and for which types of skin. If you have wrinkles but your skin is on the sensitive side, I have come across an organic plant based retinol alternative that you may want to try. Retinol is a top ingredient in skin care for anti aging and acne sufferers, but some retinol products out there may be a bit harsh for sensitive skin. That’s where bakuchiol comes in. Never heard of it? Well neither did I, and when I started researching this I knew I wanted to share it with my readers.
What Is Bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol has made an appearance on the skin care and anti aging scene and is marketed as a plant based retinol but its not a retinol at all even though its being used like one. They’re not the same structurally, but it’s used in the same way for the same reasons you would use a retinol. Retinol is a derivative of Vitamin A, which comes mainly from animal products, whereas bakuchiol comes from the psoralea corylifolia plant.
For those of you out there who are vegan or just watch your use of animal products, this is shown to be a great alternative. Bakuchiol comes from the seeds of the psoralea corylifolia plant and has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Bakuchiol was first isolated back in 1966 but only recently came onto the anti aging scene, which is why research into the use in beauty is somewhat limited. I was able to find two studies that show its effectiveness on anti aging so Let’s take a look.
A study done in 2014 shows that bakuchiol improved the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles in their participants without the harsh effects normally shown when starting a retinol product ( skin irritation & dry skin ). In 2018 a study was conducted on human subjects which compared retinol to bakuchiol. In this double-blind study 44 participants used either twice daily bakuchiol, or once daily retinol and both groups saw improvement in redness, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentaion equally.
This shows that twice daily bakuchiol and once daily retinol would get the same results. The bakuchiol group showed less skin flaking and redness than the retinol group. The data from these two studies shows that bakuchiol is gentler than retinol and just as functional for people with sensitive skin.
Benefits Of Bakuchiol Skin
We know that retinol has the ability to help skin with signs of aging and acne so what are the benefits of this retinol alternative?:
- Reduction in fine lines and wrinkles – Bakuchiol helps the skin make collagen, and we know more collagen means less fine lines and wrinkling and plumper looking skin
- Less irritation & dryness – Some retinols seem to dry out the skin and cause irritation, bakuchiol is gentle and safe for sensitive skin and works just as well as a retinol.
- Even out skin tone – Bakuchiol has been shown to reduce discoloration, age spots, and melasma
- Regenerates skin cells – Bakuchiol tells the skin that its time to regenerate the cells and make more collagen
- Great for all skin types – This is so gentle it can be used on any skin type
- Safe to use twice/day – Bakuchiol isn’t as irritating as a retinol so its safe to use in your skin care routine morning and at night.
- Helps heal the skin – By promoting cell regeneration, bakuchiol heals the skin and is excellent for acne prone skin and reducing inflammation.
10 Best Bakuchiol Products
Lets’ check out the 10 best bakuchiol products for 2020: ( Links lead to Amazon )
- Burts Bees Renewal Intensive Serum w / Bakuchiol
- Burts Bees Renewal Firming Cream w/ Bakuchiol
- Go Pure Naturals Retinol 2.0 + Bakuchiol Retinol Serum
- Ole Henrikson Good Night Glow Retin-A Sleep Cream
- Osika Super 16 Serum
- Bio Derma Sebium Global Cover Cleanser
- Omorovicza Miracle Facial Oil
- BYBI 1% Bakuchiol in Olive Squalane Booster
- Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Serum
- Biossance Squalane + Phyto Retinol Serum
How To Use
Bakuchiol is safe for all skin types and safe enough for use twice a day. Bakuchiol is applied topically in a serum or cream, and just like a retinol, you will apply it after cleansing the face and neck then use your other moisturizers and sunscreen. For maximum effectiveness you want to use it day and night.
Bakuchiol doesn’t make the skin more sensitive to the sun like retinol, but that doesn’t mean you can skip the sunscreen. It also doesn’t cause a reaction with other skin care products, so go ahead and stick to your other products you already use. I saw a couple brands that had retinol and bakuchiol so if you’re looking for bakuchiol without retinol, be sure to double check on the label.
You may still safely use your exfoliators and benzoyl peroxide with no interaction. You may see a few products above contain squalane, which is a saturated by-product of squalene oil. Our bodies produce squalene naturally, which is why its a great moisturizer for skin, nails, and hair.
Conclusion
I know many of us have sensitive skin or just want organic products that we can use to achieve the same anti aging effects on our skin like discoloration, fine lines, sagging skin, and wrinkles. When I cam across Bakuchiol I had to share it with you guys. There are many more products out there than these 10 I listed, so just a quick look on Amazon and you can find a bunch.
Remember to always wear sunscreen no matter what type of products you’re using. Bakuchiol is the only other product other than a retinol that has been shown to be effective in treating acne and the anti aging properties are an added bonus. Let me know what you think down in the comments. Have you heard of Bakuchiol? Have you tried it? If you have any questions don’t hesitate to give me a shout.
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