Bakuchiol: what is it and why is it called an alternative to retinol

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived molecule extracted from the seeds and leaves of Psoralea corylifolia, the plant known in India as babchi. In INCI lists, it appears as Bakuchiol and is almost always presented in the same way: the natural alternative to retinol.

The definition is convenient but imprecise. Bakuchiol is not a retinoid, does not derive from vitamin A, and has no chemical relationship with it. What it shares with retinol is the effect observed on certain parameters, not the molecular structure. Understanding this difference helps you make an informed choice, because the two active ingredients are not interchangeable in every situation.

Article written by Elisa Avalle, founder of LeLang Skin Care and a dermocosmetics specialist. Cover image generated with the support of artificial intelligence.

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What is bakuchiol

From a chemical standpoint, bakuchiol is a meroterpenoid phenol: a structure that combines a phenolic portion with a terpenic chain. It was first isolated in the 1960s, but its cosmetic use only became widespread over the past decade, when research began to describe its behavior on the skin.

The plant from which it is extracted grows wild in India and parts of East Asia, and its seeds were used for skin conditions in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. However, one honest clarification is necessary: the traditional use of a plant is not proof of efficacy. It is a starting point for research, not a conclusion.

A useful clarification: bakuchiol should not be confused with psoralens, other molecules found in the same plant that are known to be photosensitizing. They are different compounds, and bakuchiol intended for cosmetic use is purified specifically to exclude them. This is why the quality of the raw material matters more for this ingredient than for others.

How it works on the skin

Retinol works by binding to specific nuclear receptors and accelerating cell turnover. It is an effective but also destabilizing mechanism in the first few weeks: flaking, redness, and sensitivity are the direct consequences of how it works, not a flaw in the formula.

Bakuchiol achieves partly comparable effects through a different pathway. In vitro studies have observed that it stimulates the expression of genes involved in the synthesis of type I, III, and IV collagen in fibroblasts, and reduces the activity of matrix metalloproteinases, the enzymes that break down collagen and elastin. On these two fronts, its gene expression profile resembles that of retinol, despite having no interaction with the vitamin A pathway.

This is complemented by two properties inherent to the molecule, documented in the laboratory: an antioxidant capacity and an action that helps contain skin inflammation. These are the same properties that explain why it is also recommended for reactive skin.

What the studies say, and what they do not say

The study that brought bakuchiol to the attention of dermatology was published in 2019 in the British Journal of Dermatology. It is a randomized, double-blind study lasting twelve weeks, conducted on 44 people with signs of photoaging on the face. One group applied a cream containing 0.5% bakuchiol twice a day, while the other applied a cream containing 0.5% retinol once a day. Images were captured and analyzed at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and a dermatologist who was unaware of the group assignments evaluated pigmentation and redness.

The result: both groups showed a significant reduction in the surface area occupied by wrinkles and in hyperpigmentation, with no statistical differences between the two active ingredients. However, those using retinol reported more flaking and more stinging.

This is the part that is rarely discussed. Bakuchiol was applied twice a day versus a single daily application of retinol: the comparison was not made at equal exposure. The sample consisted of 44 people, a small number, and to date there are no larger independent studies that have replicated those results. Finally, the company that produces and markets the raw material was involved in the research. None of this invalidates the study, but it changes the weight that should be given to it: it is a promising result, not definitive proof.

A second study published in 2020 in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology evaluated a bakuchiol-based moisturizer specifically on sensitive skin, with favorable tolerability results. This is where the evidence is currently strongest: not so much superiority over retinol, but better tolerability with the same observed result.

Bakuchiol or retinol: how to choose

The right question is not which of the two is better, but which one is suitable for a particular skin type at a particular time.

One point needs clarification, because a great deal of inaccurate information is circulating: bakuchiol is not photosensitizing like retinoids, but this does not mean that it allows you to forgo sun protection. Any approach to wrinkles and hyperpigmentation without daily photoprotection produces results that cancel themselves out.

Bakuchiol and blemish-prone skin

Alongside its anti-aging use, bakuchiol is being studied for acne-prone skin. In vitro, it has shown an ability to inhibit Cutibacterium acnes and limit the oxidation of skin lipids, the process that makes sebum more comedogenic and contributes to the formation of blackheads.

These are laboratory data, not clinical studies on adult acne, and they should be interpreted for what they are: an indication of direction. In cosmetic skincare, the actives with more mature evidence in this area remain others, starting with the combination of niacinamide and salicylic acid.

Bakuchiol during pregnancy: what can really be said

This is the question that leads most people to look for bakuchiol, and it is also the one that prompts the most reckless claims.

The established fact concerns retinoids: because of the teratogenic risk associated with excess vitamin A, their use is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and dermatological guidelines recommend discontinuing them as early as the planning stage. There is no debate about this.

Bakuchiol is not a vitamin A derivative and therefore does not carry that type of risk. But declaring it safe during pregnancy is a step too far and should not be done: there are no studies conducted on pregnant women, and the 2019 study explicitly excluded pregnant or breastfeeding participants. The absence of risk signals is not proof of safety.

The correct wording is this: bakuchiol does not share the mechanism that makes retinoids problematic, which is why it is often considered a reasonable choice during pregnancy. However, the decision should be made by showing the complete INCI list to a gynecologist or dermatologist. Anyone who writes that it is safe without any risk is claiming something the available data do not support.

The same applies to pregnancy melasma, where the decisive variable is not which active ingredient is chosen but how rigorously the skin is protected from light.

Tolerability and precautions

Bakuchiol is generally well tolerated and does not cause the peeling typical of the adjustment phase to retinoids. However, two reasonable warnings remain:

• As with any botanical extract, individual sensitization is possible. For allergic or highly reactive skin, testing on a small area, such as the crook of the elbow, is advisable before daily use on the face.
• Concentration matters. The available clinical studies used 0.5%: a formula that lists bakuchiol at the bottom of the INCI, after the preservatives, is unlikely to be close to that threshold.

It pairs easily with the most common active ingredients: vitamin C, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid.

Bakuchiol in LeLang formulas

To be clear: bakuchiol is not currently included in LeLang formulas. We are monitoring it, and our assessment will change when the independent evidence is more extensive.

In the meantime, when skin cannot tolerate retinol, we take a different approach. For anti-aging, we use peptides, which target expression lines without requiring any adjustment period.

For blemishes, the combination is Zincidone and niacinamide in the serum, and azeloglycine in the cream.

In conclusion

Bakuchiol is an interesting ingredient with a genuine scientific basis, but it is almost always presented with too much emphasis. It is not a plant-based retinol, it is not without limitations, and it does not yet have a body of evidence comparable to that for vitamin A. Instead, it is a sensible choice for those whose skin does not tolerate retinol and who are looking for anti-aging action with an easier adjustment period.

You can also find LeLang products at partner pharmacies throughout Italy.

Sources for this article

• S. Dhaliwal, I. Rybak, S. R. Ellis et al., Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing, British Journal of Dermatology, vol. 180, no. 2, 2019, pp. 289-296.
• Z. Draelos, H. Gunt, J. Zeichner, S. Levy, Clinical evaluation of a nature-based bakuchiol anti-aging moisturizer for sensitive skin, Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, vol. 19, 2020, p. 1181.
• Gene expression profiling study describing bakuchiol as a functional analogue of retinol, International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014.
• Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.
• Regulation (EU) No. 655/2013, common criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products.

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