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INGREDIENTS
Meek But Mighty
Why bakuchiol is being touted as a gentle alternative to retinoids by Lauren Snow
What if one of the most effective antiaging and acne-fighting ingredients has been hidden under our noses for thousands of years? That may be the case for bakuchiol, a meek but mighty alternative to retinol. Stretching across the plains of India, dense purple flowers with brown, kidney-shaped seeds adorn the stocky green leaves of the Babchi plant. This indigenous plant, Psoralea corylifolia, grows in India’s semi-arid climate and has also been found in the Himalayas.1 The plant and its seeds have been used as a remedy by the Hindi people of India for centuries.
WHAT IS BAKUCHIOL?
In ayurveda, the traditional Hindu system of medicine, the Babchi plant holds an impressive resume as one of the most trusted herbs. Because of its diverse and prevailing ailment-fighting properties, the plant is
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purported to be a therapy for a range of diseases across nearly all systems of the human body. The Babchi plant is currently being extensively studied in pharmacology for its chemoprotective, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.2 The seeds and oil from the Babchi plant are particularly interesting for esthetics purposes. They are called Kushtaghni in zyurveda, which means “skin disease remedy.” For thousands of years, it has been used topically for the treatment of ringworm, scabies, boils, eczema, dermatitis, and even leukoderma and vitiligo— both conditions that suppress melanin production. Modern medicine is just discovering what the Hindis have known for a long time—the Babchi plant has some pretty amazing qualities and capabilities. Bakuchiol, a compound extracted from the potent seeds and leaves of the Babchi plant, is gaining fresh momentum as the gentler alternative to retinol. And while bakuchiol shares no structural resemblance to retinoids, it does share the spotlight in efficacy.
Bakuchiol, a compound extracted from the potent seeds and leaves of the Babchi plant, is gaining fresh momentum as the gentler alternative to retinol. In a study conducted by the Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie, researchers sought to compare the skin carerelated activities of retinol and bakuchiol, with the intent to uncover the efficacy. This landmark study showed two important outcomes: (1) bakuchiol can be considered a viable (and natural) alternative to retinol, and (2) this gentle giant can perform like retinol, without the undesirable side effects.3
LIKE RETINOL, BUT GENTLER
To understand retinol’s power is to understand the popularity of retinoids. Retinoids is a generic term that refers to vitamin A and several molecular variations derived from it. Retinoids have become the gold standard in fighting acne and antiaging, as the skin is incredibly responsive to them. Topical use of retinoids has been heavily studied, particularly with the positive outcomes of fighting acne. Clinical outcomes have also shown marked reduction in fine lines and wrinkles, diminished hyperpigmentation, and skin smoothness as a result of topical application of retinoids. Retinol, a first-generation variation of a retinoid, aggressively stimulates the cell turnover process and collagen production, but the retinoid’s work comes at a cost. Retinol’s feisty host of side effects requires users to grin and bear it until they build up their skin’s tolerance to its use. Users can have what is called retinoid dermatitis, which essentially is red, flaky, irritated, and extremely photo-sensitive skin that is painful and unsightly. Nearly all users of retinol must go through this desensitizing phase in order to reap the benefits of retinol’s efficacy. Bakuchiol, on the other hand, delivers results without the discomfort. In the Society of Cosmetic Scientists’ study, the results showed that after 12 weeks of treatment using bakuchiol, “significant
improvement in lines and wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness, and overall reduction in photodamage was observed without the usual retinol effects.”4 Cue the fireworks and the end of scheduling social events around the start of retinols. It is a dream for clients with sensitive skin and those who do not want to undergo the “awkward phase” of angry, red skin for vanity. It is also ideal for you, as a skin care professional, because you do not have to work within compromised skin limitations for your client’s professional treatments and home care.
BAKUCHIOL BANDWAGON
Big beauty brands are jumping on the bakuchiol bandwagon, and it’s easy to see why. Sephora, the consumer beauty retail giant, offers more than half a dozen products already that contain beauty’s new behemoth, with companies like Nordstrom and Ulta following suit. Bakuchiol is bottled to use topically just as you would use a retinol; it’s available in serums, creams, and moisturizers across the big beauty channels. You can expect to see many professional skin care lines taking on their own research and development to formulate products that contain bakuchiol soon.
Notes
1. P. S. Khushboo et al., “Psoralea corylifolia Linn.— ‘Kushtanashini,’" Pharmacognosy Review 4, no. 7 (January 2010): 69–76. 2. “Psoralea corylifolia Linn.— ‘Kushtanashini.’” 3. R atan K. Chaudhuri and Krzysztof Bojanowski, “Bakuchiol: A Retinol-Like Functional Compound Revealed by Gene Expression Profiling and Clinically Proven to Have Anti-Aging Effects,” International Journal of Cosmetic Science 36, no. 3 (June 2014): 221–30. 4. “ Bakuchiol: A Retinol-Like Functional Compound Revealed by Gene Expression Profiling and Clinically Proven to Have Anti-Aging Effects.”
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