What is Bakuchiol? Breaking Down the Revolutionary All Natural Retinol Alternative

Those of us who eat, sleep, and breathe skincare are always excited when there’s a new ingredient on the scene. We’re even more thrilled when it’s gentle, plant-based, affordable, and gets right to work visibly fine tuning your skin. So you can imagine our enthusiasm for bakuchiol, the premier ingredient in Valentia’s new Bakuchiol Serum. 

Say it with us: buh-KOO-chee-awl. It may be tricky to pronounce, but trust us: this is a name you’ll want to remember.

We’re all about filling your cabinets with the good stuff! If that means ignoring the hype for this week’s biggest skincare launch or next week’s, or the week after that… (because let’s be honest, there’s always a hot, new product hitting the shelves), then so be it. Sometimes, all it takes is a few products to give your skin the gorgeous natural glow you crave. When you’re shopping for truly targeted skincare essentials, less is always more.

Knowing this, you have to understand that when we say this ingredient is revolutionary (and an absolute must-have!), we really really mean it. To get the full picture of the power of bakuchiol, let’s backtrack a little to cover an ingredient you probably already know: retinol. 

Retinol is a vitamin A derivative often found in anti-aging products, and while it’s powerful and popular, it can also be harsh on your skin. Retinol users can experience irritation, including uncomfortable dryness, redness, scaliness, itching, and flare-ups of acne or eczema. Retinol also increases photosensitivity, making you more vulnerable to sun exposure. And because adjusting to retinol can be an intense process for your skin, working up to its regular use is often time consuming and tedious.

Enter bakuchiol, the almighty, all-natural retinol alternative. This powerful ingredient comes from the seeds and leaves of the Psoralea corylifolia plant and has long been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to calm and soothe the skin. With its gentle composition, bakuchiol lessens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles without the painful dryness or sensitivity associated with retinol. Studies show that after twelve weeks of bakuchiol use, users experienced a reduction in the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation, along with firm, supple skin.¹

Bakuchiol can be freely applied to your skin without an acclimation period. And because bakuchiol does not increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, it can even be incorporated into your daytime skincare routine. (Of course, it goes without saying that you should always wear sunscreen regardless of which serums you’re layering underneath!) It’s not known to have negative interactions with other ingredients, so you can easily add bakuchiol serums like ours to your existing regimen, before your favorite moisturizers or other serums. 

And for the plant-based enthusiasts among us, here’s another bakuchiol bonus: Many retinol products are derived from eggs or other animal products, so they are usually not vegan and/or cruelty-free. Bakuchiol, however, is both!

Valentia’s Bakuchiol Serum builds on the rich history of bakuchiol by adding sea fennel extract. Rich in vitamins and minerals, this potent ingredient helps combat the appearance of wrinkles, imperfections, and age spots. With these two powerhouse botanicals, we’ve created a luxurious, creamy serum with a light vanilla neroli scent that addresses the signs of aging by encouraging a refined skin texture while visibly improving skin firmness.

Now that you’ve got the scoop, the benefits are clear. If you’re looking for an all-natural path to youthful, radiant results, a bakuchiol serum is your new skincare must-have. 

References: 

1. Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, Notay M, Trivedi M, Burney W, Vaughn AR, Nguyen M, Reiter P, Bosanac S, Yan H, Foolad N, Sivamani RK (2019). Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology, 180(2), 289-296. doi: 10.1111/bjd.16918