Unlocking the Power of Bakuchiol: The Natural Alternative to Retinol
Retinol alternatives have been a huge skincare trend in 2022.
And there’s a good reason for that.
On the one hand, most dermatologists agree that a retinoid is the most effective anti-aging treatment. They have been widely recognized for their various uses and applications.
As the graphs show, the effects of Bakuchiol and retinol are similar. There's no statistical difference, meaning they are both effective. However, the use of retinol comes at a price.
Retinoids have many disadvantages:
1. Dryness, irritation, and peeling for people with sensitive skin
In today’s environment, full of pollution and stress, many people have sensitized skin and can’t use retinoids on the neck and under-eye area. Ironically, these are the areas that show signs of aging sooner than others.
2. Photosensitivity
Retinoids sensitize the skin to sunlight and without adequate photo protection, you can get significant sun damage. This puts all the anti-aging benefits in question because photo-aging is responsible for 90% of visible changes in your skin.
3. You can’t use retinols while pregnant or breastfeeding
Many moms would agree that sleepless nights, hormonal changes, and caregiver stress have a huge impact on the appearance of their skin. This is the time when skincare needs to be at its best, but retinoids aren't an option.
These are significant drawbacks. Therefore, there has been a lot of research into anti-aging alternatives.
Research behind Bakuchiol
Bakuchiol is the best-studied retinol alternative on the market. “Due to its ability to speed up cell turnover and stimulate collagen, Bakuchiol has the ability to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduce hyperpigmentation, acne, and smooth texture of the skin,” Charnho Park, skincare chemist.
Bakuchiol is a medicinal herb that has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for ages. The long history of practical evidence on its anti-aging and anti-inflammatory benefits inspired researchers to look into the science behind this plant. One study showed that Bakuchiol causes the same changes in gene expression responsible for collagen production & skin thickness as retinol does.
These findings encouraged researchers to compare Bakuchiol to retinol in clinical studies. Both ingredients showed similar improvement in fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and firmness of the skin. However, Bakuchiol users experienced less irritation.
Photographic comparison before and after Bakuchiol treatment.
As seen, the use of lotion with 0.5% of Bakuchiol reduced the appearance of wrinkles around eyes, giving a healthier and firmer complexion.
Complementary studies showed that Bakuchiol works synergistically with acne medications, such as salicylic acid and adapalene. When these ingredients are paired with Bakuchiol, there are bigger improvements in acne, less irritation, and better quality of sebum.
Bakuchiol is also a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from free radicals and stabilizes other ingredients, such as retinol, keeping them effective longer.
Based on this research, here is everything you need to know about Bakuchiol in your skincare:
What are the benefits of Bakuchiol?
At Regelica, we love multi-tasking ingredients. Bakuchiol is truly an all-in-one skincare hero. You just need one product to address multiple skin concerns including wrinkles, acne, hyperpigmentation, skin firmness, and elasticity.
Bakuchiol is just as effective as retinol in stimulating collagen production but without irritation.
Who should use Bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol is suitable for all skin types and ages. Showing less irritation, it’s a good alternative for people with sensitive skin and who have experienced side effects from retinoids in the past.
How to pair Bakuchiol with other active ingredients?
The good news is, Bakuchiol can be paired with AHA, Vitamin C, and other popular active ingredients. Moreover, if you use salicylic toners or retinoid treatments, it will reinforce their anti-inflammatory & anti-aging properties and help with irritation.
What percentage concentration of Bakuchiol is effective?
Make sure to use at least 0.5 concentration for best results.
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived ingredient that has an organic earthy scent. Products with high concentrations will have a naturally medicinal fragrance.
How to use Bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol is not photosensitizing. It can be used day and night for powerful anti-aging support all day long.
Bakuchiol is a gentler alternative to retinol. You can use it on sensitive areas such as undereye and neck areas, to address early signs of aging and fight against tech neck.
How soon can I see the results from Bakuchiol?
The clinical studies with 0.5% Bakuchiol showed clear improvement in hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and thickness of the skin after 12 weeks. The Regelica Bakuchiol & Niacinamide Anti-aging cream contains 0.5% Bakuchiol, and you can see from the reviews that our customers see improvements in texture and plumpness of the skin just after the first week.
Consistency is key to any success story. Make sure to stick to your Bakuchiol routine to develop skin thickness.
Which Bakuchiol product is the best?
Not many skincare companies use Bakuchiol in their products yet. It takes time to educate audiences about innovation in skincare and run clinical tests for new formulas. It’s easier to capitalize on well-known ingredients, such as retinol. Moreover, plant extracts tend to be pricier, meaning higher ingredient costs for concentrated formulas. Lastly, Bakuchiol has a strong fragrance that can be challenging to the market.
At Regelica, we get our main inspiration from amazing, passionate women who are looking for proven results, without the fluff. They don’t want to compromise between effectiveness and sensitivity. We pride ourselves on the innovations and research behind our products, and the careful aim justifying every design.
Check out Regelica Bakuchiol & Niacinamide Anti-aging cream containing 0.5% Bakuchiol paired with Ceramides, Niacinamides, and 7 Seaweed extracts.
