Ingredient glossary
Bakuchiol
On your shelf ✓What Bakuchiol does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Bakuchiol · Also: Psoralea Corylifolia Extract
In short: Bakuchiol delivers anti-aging support and brightening, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is moderate. One thing to know: clear it with your doctor if pregnant; introduce it gently.
- What it does
- Anti aging, brightening
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Watch out
- Clear it with your doctor if pregnant; introduce it gently
- Evidence
- Moderate
- How long
- 8–12 weeks
how it was measured
Measured on self-rated youthful appearance of facial skin, split-face against vehicle; fibronectin in suction-blister fluid at 4 weeks; measured at the trial's end, so possibly sooner.PMID 35514037PMID 29947134
The Glow take
One of the ingredients I trust most.
When your goal is softening fine lines and keeping skin firm, Bakuchiol delivers, with a solid amount of evidence behind it. Introduce it gently, and pair it with something soothing if your skin runs sensitive.
— Maya
What it does
- anti aging
- brightening
- antioxidant
moderate evidenceRandomized double blind trials show point five percent bakuchiol twice daily reduces wrinkle area and hyperpigmentation similarly to point five percent retinol…
Why we say this
- Randomized double blind trials show point five percent bakuchiol twice daily reduces wrinkle area and hyperpigmentation similarly to point five percent retinol with better tolerability.
On a label: usually effective at 0.5-1%.
The botanical family, at a glance
17 botanical entries in the base, Bakuchiol among them. 15 of the 17 are a supporting active.
- Aloe
- Bakuchiol
- Centella Asiatica Extract
- Ginger Root Extract
- Ginseng Root Extract
- Heartleaf Extract
- Honeysuckle Flower Extract
- Licochalcone A
- Mugwort Extract
- Neem Flower Extract
- Neem Leaf Extract
- Purslane Extract
- Rice Extract
- Rosemary Leaf Extract
- Tasmanian Pepperberry
- Willow Bark Extract
- Witch Hazel Extract
How much do you need?
Not established
No human trial pins a dose. The reasoning is below, and it is the honest answer.
Why we say this
- Not established at a stated concentration in a vehicle-controlled leave-on trial: the one vehicle-controlled reading is a Beiersdorf study of 0.5% against its vehicle, fibronectin in suction-blister fluid at 4 weeks on the forearms of 31 women, and a 12-week split-face in which the only clinical endpoint was self-graded youthfulness (Bluemke 2022, full text read).
- The trial usually quoted, 0.5% bakuchiol against 0.5% retinol in 44 patients over 12 weeks, has no vehicle arm (Dhaliwal 2019).
- A floor needs a vehicle-controlled clinical endpoint; none exists yet.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- normal
- dry
- combo
- photoaged
- pigmentation
- sensitive
Approach with care
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
- very sensitive
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskModerate
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveTake care
Often chosen for photoaged, pigmentation. Take extra care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding.
Where it fits in your routine
Give it eight to twelve weeks, and possibly less: that is simply when it was measured.
What was measured, and in whom
- Measured on: self-rated youthful appearance of facial skin, split-face against vehicle; fibronectin in suction-blister fluid at 4 weeks.
- The only vehicle-controlled readings are Beiersdorf's (Bluemke 2022, full text read): 0.5% bakuchiol against its vehicle raised fibronectin in suction-blister fluid after 4 weeks on the forearms of 31 women, a matrix marker read once; and in a 12-week split-face study 34 women rated the bakuchiol side as looking younger than the vehicle side, 2.57 versus 2.06 on a 10-point scale, the only clinical endpoint and self-graded, read once at 12 weeks.
- The trial usually quoted, 0.5% bakuchiol against 0.5% retinol in 44 patients photographed at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks, has no vehicle arm, so its curve cannot date the ingredient (Dhaliwal 2019).
- Treat 12 weeks as the trial end on a weak endpoint, not a measured onset.
Plays well with
- retinoids
- niacinamide
- ceramides
- antioxidants
Bakuchiol, answered
Is Bakuchiol safe during pregnancy?
Clear it with your doctor first. Bakuchiol is flagged as use-with-caution during pregnancy and breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife before adding it.
Who should avoid Bakuchiol?
Approach Bakuchiol with care if any of these apply to you: pregnancy, breastfeeding, and very sensitive. Its irritation risk is moderate, so introduce it slowly and patch test first.
What concentration of Bakuchiol actually works?
Bakuchiol tends to do its job in the 0.5 to 1% range. Much lower and it is likely underdosed.
During pregnancy
Treat Bakuchiol as a maybe rather than a yes for now. It is flagged as one to use with caution while pregnant or breastfeeding, so it is worth clearing before you carry on.
When in doubt, check with your doctor or midwife. They outrank any website, including this one.When it is worth booking →
Commonly confused with
- RetinolBakuchiol is a plant ingredient sold as a natural retinol alternative. It is gentler, but it is not a true retinoid and works differently.
Compare Bakuchiol with
44 comparisons built, the 4 most looked-up above.
Can you mix Bakuchiol with
1 pairing built.
This, for every label you own
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Sources & how we reviewed this
What changed on this page
- : the effective dose from trials, the highest dose tested
- : what the EU regulates
- : time to a result, the effective dose from trials