Bakuchiol works effectively like retinol against skin ageing and acne, however, without the side-effects of retinol.

Bakuchiol is a natural retinol analog.

Despite having no structural resemblance to retinol, Bakuchiol was found to have retinol functionality through retinol-like regulation of gene expression. 

Bakuchiol target several cellular pathways similar to those targeted by retinoids, including the modulation of retinoic acid receptors genes and upregulation of collagen and extracellular matrix synthesis enzymes. 

Bakuchiol, like retinol, helps to prevent fine lines and wrinkles while also enhancing the firmness and elasticity of the skin. 

Bakuchiol, on the other hand, does not produce almost any retinol unwanted side effects:

• UV sensitivity

• skin peeling

• epidermis thinning

• redness

• inflammation

• cutaneous erythema

• pruritus

• stinging or burning 

• sensitivity.

Unlike retinol, bakuchiol is natural and vegan.

Mehta et al. isolated it from Psoralea corylifolia seed in 1966, and named it Bakuchiol after the plant’s sanskrit name Bakuchi. Bakuchiol is mostly derived from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant, which is employed in Ayurveda and Chinese traditional medicine systems. This plant’s seeds contain a variety of coumarins, including psoralen, which is used to treat a number of ailments in both Indian and Chinese medicine.

Bakuchiol is a meroterpene (a chemical compound having a partial terpenoid structure) in the class terpenophenol.

Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing

S. Dhaliwal, I. Rybak, S.R. Ellis, M. Notay, M. Trivedi, W. Burney, A.R. Vaughn, M. Nguyen, P. Reiter, S. Bosanac, H. Yan, N. Foolad, R.K. Sivamani 

Conclusions of the study

The results of the study demonstrates that bakuchiol is comparable with retinol in its ability to improve photoageing and is better tolerated than retinol.

The “retinoid reaction” is an adverse event associated with all topical retinoids, and is likely a result of the upregulation of inflammatory mediators in the skin during therapy.

Although retinol and bakuchiol are structurally different, bakuchiol has demonstrated the ability to act as a functional analogue to retinol. Both compounds induce highly similar gene expression in human skin. This may be attributable to bakuchiol’s antioxidant effects, as well as its ability to disrupt melanin synthesis.

The study’s findings show that bakuchiol is equivalent to retinol in terms of photo-ageing improvement and is better tolerated than retinol. Bakuchiol appeals to consumers who respect natural products since it is derived from a variety of plant species. Although retinol may be obtained from a variety of natural sources, much of what is available on the market is synthetic and extremely strong, creating undesired side effects.

Due to their scientifically established capacity to counteract symptoms of ageing through collagen formation, prevention of collagen breakdown, angiogenesis, and modulation of melanin synthesis, topical retinoids have become a standard in anti-ageing therapy. The “retinoid response” is a side effect of all topical retinoids that is thought to be caused by the elevation of inflammatory mediators in the skin after treatment. 

Despite the structural differences between retinol and bakuchiol, bakuchiol has been shown to be a functional counterpart to retinol. In human skin, both chemicals cause very comparable gene expression. This contains genes involved in endogenous retinol absorption, retinol activation in the skin, and the creation of extracellular matrix proteins that sustain and maintain epidermal integrity.

Bakuchiol affects various antioxidant processes. 

Although bakuchiol has most anti-aging qualities like retinoids, it also triggers its unique set of molecular pathways, which may contribute to its anti-aging benefits. 

Internal metabolic processes, as well as external environmental pollutants and stressors, are known to cause oxidative stress on skin cells, which contributes considerably to cutaneous ageing. Bakuchiol has been demonstrated to activate nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, a transcription factor involved in cellular oxidative stress resistance. 

Its ability to scavenge oxygen free radicals and its importance in avoiding mitochondrial lipid per-oxidation are two further antioxidant properties.

Hyper-pigmentation

Over the course of the 12-week therapy, bakuchiol reduced pigment intensity and surface area in addition to improving wrinkle depth. This might be due to bakuchiol’s antioxidant properties and capacity to impair melanin production. Bakuchiol can prevent both melanocyte-stimulating hormone activation and tyrosinase activity in the melanin production pathway (the rate-limiting enzyme in melanin synthesis). 

In terms of tolerability, those who received bakuchiol experienced much less cutaneous side effects than those who received retinol, including less stinging and scaling. 

This might be connected to bakuchiol’s anti-inflammatory qualities, in addition to its antioxidant capabilities. Furthermore, unlike retinoids, bakuchiol has not been demonstrated to enhance photosensitivity. 

Anti-acne

Bakuchiol obtained from the edible seeds of Psoralea corylifolia showed strong antibacterial effects, anticollagenase, COX-2, COX-1, and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase genes inhibitory activity. It has broad spectrum antioxidant activity, effectively quenches superoxide, hydroxy, peroxy, peroxynitrile radicals, and singlet oxygen non radicals in addition to inhibiting lipid peroxidation. A pilot clinical study showed that 1% bakuchiol reduced acne by a score of about 57%, whereas 2% salicylic acid only reduced acne by about 48%, but when used in combination it reduced acne lesions and inflammation upto 70%.

Chaudhuri RK, Marchio F. Bakuchiol in the management of acne-affected skin. Cosmetics & Toiletries Magazine. 2011;126(7):502–510. 

Other scientifically relevant research regarding bakuchiol:  

Anti inflammation: 

Lim HS, Kim YJ, Kim BY, Jeong SJ. Bakuchiol suppresses inflammatory responses via the downregulation of the p38 MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. 

Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(14):3574. doi:10.3390/ijms20143574

Photoageing: 

Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. 

Br J Dermatol. 2019;180(2):289-296. doi:10.1111/bjd.16918

Anti-aging: 

Chaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. 

Int J Cosmet Sci. 2014;36(3):221-230. doi:10.1111/ics.12117