Derived from the seeds and leaves of the plant Psoralea coryfolia (babchi). The name bakuchiol was given from the Sanskrit name of the plant which is Bakuchi. This plant is widely used in Ayurveda for various ailments.
Bakuchiol is a substance with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and in vitro antibacterial properties.
When it comes to anti-aging, retinoids dominate but what a woman can do if her skin doesn’t tolerate any of them? The answer may be in the use of bakuchiol.
It is true that not much research has been effectuated on the benefits of using it. However, Bakuchiol has recently gained popularity among people who cannot apply retinoids to their face. I am one of them. After three failed attempts to incorporate retinol or retinal in my skincare routine, I resigned. Bakuchiol caught my attention.
Possible benefits
Boosts collagen production
Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
Helps with dark spots
Improves skin texture
Gives a more even skin tone
Does not cause irritation
Enhances cell renewal
Can be used on a daily basis as long as it is well tolerated by your skin. It does not cause photosensitivity. This does not mean that you should neglect the use of sunscreen.
Keep in mind that if you are a beginner, it may cause sensitivity, dryness but not to the extent that retinoids cause. If you decide to introduce the bakuchiol in your skincare routine, do a patch test before, as you should always do with any new substance.
It can be safely combined with Vitamin C, AHAs, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
It can be used with retinoids, some brands even combine them in their products.
As it happens with any other active ingredient, bakuchiol may need time to produce positive results. Patience, perseverance and regularity in use are required.
Concentrations at 0.5-2% should give better results.
According to some studies, topical use of bakuchiol can act similarly to retinol and be safer and more tolerated by people with sensitive skin. Nevertheless, more studies need to be done.
My experience with the use of bakuchiol
As I have already mentioned, my skin doesn’t tolerate any retinoid. I had therefore to find alternatives for my anti-aging or better well-aging routine. The use of bakuchiol is one of these alternatives.
Although I started the use of bakuchiol more than one year ago and I tried different brands and concentrations, I discontinued its use a couple of times. This happened because I tried unsuccessfully to include retinol first and then retinaldehyde (retinal) in my skincare routine. I recently decided that a bakuchiol serum has to be part of my skincare routine. I’ll update on the benefits, if there are any, after using it for a few months. For the time being, I have to say that my skin tolerates it, I have neither irritation nor inflammation. My wrinkles seem to be less obvious but I’ll see what happens over a longer period of time.
Bottom line: If retinoids don’t irritate your skin, continue with them. However, if you can’t use them, bakuchiol may a very good solution.
If you want to know more about the serums with bakuchiol that I have already tried, here is my related post https://www.christiannak.com/?p=784
Special thanks to pexels.com for the free photos download as well as to the creator of this specific photo.