Bakuchiol; What Is It & Why We Love It
Retinol (Vitamin A) has been a skincare superstar for years, and for good reason! It encourages skin cells to turn over more quickly, making way for fresh, new ones. It also helps slow down collagen breakdown and strengthens the deeper layers of skin—where wrinkles like to set up camp. Plus, it’s a multitasker when it comes to brightening, smoothing, and keeping blemishes in check. No wonder it’s got such a loyal fan club!
If Retinol is so amazing, why don't we use it?
Well, it's not for everyone. If your skin is super sensitive to actives, reactive or feeling a bit fragile, Retinol can leave things looking and feeling rough. It also makes skin more sun-sensitive, so if can't commit to daily SPF, that’s a dealbreaker. And for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, underage, or on certain skin meds, Retinol gets a hard no.
So instead we made a Bakuchiol Active Serum.
What is Bakuchiol?
For a few years now we’ve been looking for a natural ingredient that can pack the same anti-ageing punch as Retinol without the potential side effects. Pronounced "bah-koo-chee-ol", this plant-based alternative is derived from the Babchi Herb and comes with some impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Bakuchiol - better than Retinol?
Clinical studies have found that when it comes to increasing collagen production and speeding up skin cell renewal, Bakuchiol is just as effective as Retinol. A few supporting studies below:
- Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing
- Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects
While its a newbie in the skincare world, Bakuchiol has actually been used in Chinese practices for centuries to help heal wounded skin. We can see why it's earned the moniker of “plant-based Retinol”.
Why did we have to have it?
First of all, we want to say that there's nothing wrong with ageing skin! It's natural and inevitable and a few laughter lines just mean you're living a good life. But, there's also nothing wrong with taking care of your skin and using ingredients that help slow down the ageing clock. That's why anti-ageing products are so popular.
What else? Tell me more
Bakuchiol not only has the science behind it, but it's also natural, gentle, non-irritating, and suitable for all skin types. Yes, you heard that right. What else you ask? It gets extra points for being safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding. We're sure mums-to-be will love that.
Mum-to-be Monika Rad tells us why she loves our Bakuchiol serum.
Other than Bakuchiol’s impressive CV, there’s more to our silky serum than one superstar ingredient. We’ve packed our Bakuchiol Active Serum with other A-team of skin soothers like Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, and Natural Vitamin E, to name a few. You won’t miss Retinol anymore.
How to use it in your daily routine.
Our Bakuchiol Active Serum is much more easy-going than Retinol and can be used daily either morning or at night. Because its a serum, it should be applied to damp, clean skin and once it's soaked into the skin, follow with your favourite moisturiser - we make a few!