Bakuchiol: Really as Good as a Retinol?

Skincare is always about the “next big thing,” and sometimes you have to be careful that there is actually evidence behind the hype.

A trending skincare ingredient that continues to get a lot of buzz and is touted as an equivalent to retinoids is bakuchiol, a plant-derived ingredient that causes less irritation and is safe in pregnancy.

But is it actually as good as a retinoid, or are we dealing with more of a marketing claim than a scientific one?

What exactly is bakuchiol?

Bakuchiol is a phenol that derives from the babchi plant Psoralea corylfolia, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat certain skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Bakuchiol itself is known to have some anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects.

However, it has recently been touted as a trendy alternative to retinols for several reasons (of varying degrees of merit). There are claims that they have a lot of the same benefits as retinoids while causing less irritation and being safe in pregnancy. Other positives for some are that they are plant-derived.

What do we know about bakuchiol?

In vitro (as in laboratory settings) bakuchiol does have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. There is certainly evidence that it will benefit (and not harm) the skin.

How does it compare to retinoids?

There is no question that it is less irritating than retinoids. But as far as having similar effectiveness? There is definitely not evidence of that. Retinoic acid has been studied extensively for over forty years. There is no where near that type of evidence for any of the claims around bakuchiol.

Structurally, these are very different ingredients. Current studies comparing the two head-to-head are methodologically unsound.

The bottom line

If you are too sensitive to use a retinoid or are pregnant, there is no harm is using bakuchiol. But be under no illusion that these two ingredients are in any way comparable. Equally, know there are other well-researched skincare ingredients out there.

So no, bakuchiol is in no way comparable to a retinoid.

View our summary slides on this topic below:

References

Greenzaid J, Friedman A, Sodha P. The Use of Bakuchiol in Dermatology: A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022 Jun 1;21(6):624-629. doi: 10.36849/JDD.6740. PMID: 35674758.

Spierings NMK. Cosmetic commentary: Is bakuchiol the new "skincare hero"? J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020 Dec;19(12):3208-3209. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13708. Epub 2020 Sep 25. PMID: 32888255.