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Bakuchiol is the latest in a long line of buzzyskin care ingredientsthat appeared seemingly overnight and is nowabsolutely everywhere.
Images courtesy of the brands
What evenisthis so-called natural retinol, and what can it do for your skin?
Heres what you better know.
First off, its not actually retinol.
The marketing behind products containing bakuchiol strongly implies that its basically identical to retinol.
Its structurally and chemically completely different.
Sure, the two molecules behave similarly in cosmetic applications, but that doesnt mean theyre the same.
The research is limited but promising.
And theydidntsee the usual side effects of starting retinol, like irritation and dry, flaking skin.
Plus, the bakuchiol group reported less skin scaling and flaking than the retinol group.
Aaaaand thats pretty much it for clinical research.
At least one study has looked at bakuchiolin combination with other anti-aging ingredients like antioxidants.
But as a stand-alone ingredient, our best and only data come from the two above studies.
Taken together, those studies suggest that bakuchiol may be functionally comparable to retinoland possibly a bit gentler.
Of course, theres a catch.
Theres one more potential drawback to consider: allergies.
TheJournal of Contact Dermatitishas publishedtwodifferentcase reports of allergic reactions to bakuchiol cosmetics since June 2019.
Its possible to develop allergic reactions to plant substances, Dr. Sheu reminds us.
Poison ivy is a plant.
The bottom line: Bakuchiolmightbe a good starter retinoid.
So should you try bakuchiol or not?
The answer, according to the three dermatologists I interviewed, is an overwhelming maybe.
But sometimes synthetics are a better way to go.
It has to be on a case-by-case basis.
Just like retinol, bakuchiol could be a great place to start or a waste of time.
It all depends on what youre looking for.
