Bakuchiol vs. Retinol: What Works Best?
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Time to read 10 min
Retinol has been the gold standard for cell turnover and collagen support for decades, but it's too strong for many and can leave skin red, irritated and flaky. When my clients are actively using transformative treatments like lasers and peels, I recommend bakuchiol instead.
Bakuchiol is the research-backed, plant-based alternative with retinol-like results. Look at how the two compare, what the clinical data says, and how I build a bakuchiol-based routine that delivers real results while supporting healthy skin.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What Is Bakuchiol?
Bakuchiol (buh-KOO-chee-all) is a plant compound extracted from the seeds and leaves of Psoralea corylifolia, also known as babchi; a plant that's been used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. It has no structural relationship to vitamin A or retinoids at all.
Bakuchiol doesn't work in the same way that way retinol does, however, when researchers compared how the two ingredients change gene expression in skin, they found something worth paying attention to. Bakuchiol switches on many of the same genes retinol does, including the ones responsible for collagen production, without switching on the genes that tend to cause irritation.
How Retinol Works and Why It Can Irritate Skin
Retinol is a vitamin A derivative. Once applied, it converts to retinoic acid in the skin, binds to retinoic acid receptors, and accelerates cell turnover while boosting collagen synthesis. It's one of the most studied ingredients in skincare, and it works.
It also comes with a well-documented tradeoff. Retinol commonly causes redness, peeling, stinging, and increased sun sensitivity, especially in the first several weeks of use. It's also not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, per American Academy of Dermatology guidance, and it's typically a poor fit for rosacea, eczema, or already-compromised skin barriers.
Bakuchiol vs. Retinol: What the Research Actually Shows
The most important study here is a 2019 randomized, double-blind trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology. Forty-four patients used either 0.5% bakuchiol twice daily or 0.5% retinol once daily for 12 weeks, with a blinded dermatologist grading wrinkles and hyperpigmentation from facial photographs at four points during the study.
"Bakuchiol is comparable with retinol in its ability to improve photoageing and is better tolerated than retinol."
– Dhaliwal et al., British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Both groups saw significant improvement in wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistically significant difference between them. The retinol group, however, reported meaningfully more facial scaling and stinging.
A separate 2014 study went a step further, using DNA microarray analysis to compare how bakuchiol and retinol change gene expression in skin cells. The findings explain why bakuchiol performs so similarly to retinol while feeling so different on skin:
- Collagen production: Bakuchiol upregulated Type I collagen by 147% and Type IV collagen by 119% compared to a water control, activity in the same range as retinol.
- Hydration: Bakuchiol increased aquaporin-3 (a channel that helps skin cells hold water) 4.3-fold, compared to retinol's 3.5-fold increase.
- Fewer side effects, explained: Unlike retinol, bakuchiol did not upregulate the RARB and RARG genes, the retinoic acid receptor genes thought to drive much of retinol's irritation.
- Visible results at 12 weeks: In the same study, twice-daily 0.5% bakuchiol produced a 29% improvement in fine lines and wrinkles, a 39% improvement in elasticity and firmness, a 39% improvement in tone, and a 52% improvement in radiance by expert assessment, plus a 20% reduction in wrinkle depth and 21% reduction in roughness measured by silicone replica analysis.
In plain terms: bakuchiol reaches many of the same collagen-building, turnover-boosting genes as retinol, just through a different path, one that doesn't seem to trigger the irritation retinol is known for.
Who Should Choose Bakuchiol Over Retinol?
Bakuchiol is my go-to recommendation for:
- Sensitive skin, rosacea, or eczema. Skin that reacts to retinol tends to tolerate bakuchiol well, based on the tolerability data above.
- First-time actives users. If you've never used a cell-turnover ingredient before, bakuchiol is a more gentle, lower-risk entry point.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Bakuchiol isn't a retinoid, and it's the ingredient I most often point clients toward during this time though bakuchiol also hasn't been extensively studied in pregnancy, so I always tell clients to run it by their OB first.
- Anyone who's tried retinol and reacted badly. If flaking and stinging caused you to pause using retinol before you saw results, we recommend trying bakuchiol instead.
- Sun-heavy climates. Bakuchiol is more photostable than retinol, meaning it holds up better to light exposure.
Beauty Oil:
Bakuchiol in Your Routine
If you're ready to add bakuchiol to your routine, our Beauty Oil is where I start most clients. It's a lightweight facial oil built around bakuchiol, paired with a fermented postbiotic complex, marula oil, rosehip oil, jojoba seed oil, and lavender oil, the kind of ingredient list that supports turnover without disrupting the skin barrier along the way.
- Bakuchiol softens the look of fine lines and wrinkles and supports collagen production, without the irritation retinol is known for.
- Fermented postbiotic complex helps strengthen the moisture barrier and calm the skin, so you're building resilience while you're building collagen.
- Marula and rosehip oils bring antioxidant support, vitamin E, and help fade the look of dark spots and uneven texture over time.
- Jojoba seed oil mimics your skin's own sebum, so the formula absorbs quickly and doesn't feel heavy or greasy.
Apply 3–5 drops after cleansing and toning, morning and night, massaging upward and outward across the face and neck. It's gentle enough for most skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin, though I always recommend a patch test first when you're introducing any new active.
Other Ingredients That Support Turnover and Collagen
Bakuchiol doesn't have to do all the work alone. I suggest pairing it with other active ingredients that support cell turnover and collagen from different angles, brightening, exfoliating, and hydrating. A synergistic routine can do more than any single product can on its own.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a required cofactor for the enzymes that stabilize the collagen molecule as it's built, and it promotes collagen gene expression in skin cells directly, on top of its role as an antioxidant that helps defend against the free radical damage that breaks collagen down in the first place (Pullar, Carr & Vissers, Nutrients, 2017).
Our Vitamin C Serum 20% combines two forms of vitamin C; fast-acting L-ascorbic acid and a more stable, deeper-penetrating 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid with lilac stem cell extract and sea daffodil extract for brightening and antioxidant protection. Use it in the morning under moisturizer and SPF for the best results.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide works on tone and texture through a different mechanism than bakuchiol or vitamin C. Research shows it inhibits melanosome transfer, the process by which pigment moves from melanocytes into surface skin cells, by 35–68% in lab studies, and a 5% niacinamide formula significantly reduced hyperpigmentation and improved skin lightness over four weeks in a clinical trial (Hakozaki et al., British Journal of Dermatology, 2002).
Our Niacinamide Serum 10% delivers a clinically relevant dose alongside hyaluronic acid, licorice root, and a cica complex, a combination I like specifically because it brightens and refines pores while calming any redness from the actives around it. It's designed to perfectly compliment and boost Beauty Oil.
BHA (Salicylic Acid)
Where bakuchiol supports turnover at the gene level, a BHA works mechanically, it's a desmolytic ingredient, meaning it dissolves the “glue” (desmosomes) holding dulling, dead skin cells together so they shed more evenly. Because it's oil-soluble, salicylic acid also penetrates into the pore itself, which is why it's the ingredient of choice for texture, congestion, and blackheads across all skin tones (Arif, Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015).
Our BHA Exfoliating Essence uses 2% salicylic acid alongside citric acid, niacinamide, and allantoin to exfoliate without stripping the barrier. Start every other night and build to nightly use as your skin adjusts.
SPF (Non-Negotiable)
None of the ingredients above matter much if they're not protected the next day. Bakuchiol, vitamin C, niacinamide, and salicylic acid all work best, and stay working, when they're paired with consistent daily sunscreen. UV exposure is what breaks down the same collagen these actives are helping you build, and both vitamin C and BHA can leave skin more sun-sensitive while you're using them.
Our Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 is a hybrid mineral and chemical formula with a soft matte finish, so it wears like the last step of your skincare rather than a separate product. It layers cleanly over any of the actives above and is the one product I tell every client, regardless of what they're using, to never skip.
Building a Bakuchiol Routine
More actives aren’t automatically better, but the right actives together can do more than a single ingredient alone. Here's a gentle but highly effective place to start:
Morning: Cleanse, tone, Vitamin C Serum 20%, moisturizer, then SPF 50 (non-negotiable, sunscreen is the one step I ask every client to never skip).
Evening: Cleanse, tone, then alternate. On BHA nights, apply BHA Exfoliating Essence and follow with moisturizer. On the nights in between, apply Niacinamide Serum, then Beauty Oil, then moisturizer if your skin wants more richness. Whichever nights you choose, the SPF step the next morning isn't optional, it's what protects the collagen-building work these actives are doing.
Give it time. Twelve weeks is the benchmark in the clinical research above, and it's the same timeline I set expectations around with clients, consistency matters more than speed here.
If you want to accelerate collagen results beyond what any at-home routine can do, Microneedling with PRP at O Skin Med Spa uses your own concentrated growth factors to stimulate collagen and elastin directly. You can also try our new Exosome Booster with Microcurrent Mask. Call (562) 897-1445 for a consultation.
FAQs
Is bakuchiol as effective as retinol?
Based on the head-to-head clinical trial above, yes, bakuchiol produced comparable improvements in wrinkles and hyperpigmentation to retinol over 12 weeks, with significantly better tolerability. Retinol still has a longer overall research history and a broader range of studied concentrations.
Can I use bakuchiol and retinol together?
Yes. Bakuchiol doesn't compete with retinol's mechanism, and some clients use both, bakuchiol in the morning or on non-retinol nights, to get turnover support without over-irritating the skin barrier. If you're new to actives, start with bakuchiol alone.
Does bakuchiol cause purging?
It's uncommon. Purging is typically associated with ingredients that rapidly accelerate cell turnover, like retinoids and some acids. Bakuchiol's gentler mechanism makes a purging reaction unlikely, though any new active can cause a brief adjustment period.
Is bakuchiol safe during pregnancy?
Bakuchiol is not a retinoid, which is why it's the ingredient I most often recommend during pregnancy and breastfeeding instead of retinol. That said, it hasn't been extensively studied in pregnant populations, so I always tell clients to check with their OB before adding any new active.
How long does it take to see results from bakuchiol?
Plan on 12 weeks of consistent use for visible changes in wrinkles, tone, and firmness, that's the timeline used in the clinical research and the one I set with clients in the treatment room. Some improvement in texture and hydration can show up sooner.
Can I use Beauty Oil with Vitamin C, Niacinamide Serum, and BHA Exfoliating Essence?
Yes, they're formulated to work together. The routine above is exactly how I sequence them: Vitamin C in the morning, and Niacinamide Serum, BHA Exfoliating Essence, and Beauty Oil rotated through the evening so you're not overloading your skin with actives on the same night.
Who should avoid bakuchiol?
Very few people need to avoid it altogether, which is part of why it's such a useful ingredient, but if you have a known sensitivity to plants in the pea/legume family, patch test first, and stop use if you notice irritation that doesn't resolve within a few days.
Summary
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived compound that activates many of the same collagen-building genes as retinol, without the irritation.
A 12-week randomized trial found bakuchiol comparable to retinol for wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly better tolerability.
Gene expression research shows bakuchiol boosts Type I and Type IV collagen and skin hydration, while skipping the receptor pathway linked to retinol's side effects.
Beauty Oil delivers bakuchiol alongside barrier-supporting postbiotics, marula, and rosehip oils for daily AM/PM use.
Vitamin C, Niacinamide Serum, and BHA Exfoliating Essence each support turnover and collagen through a different mechanism, and are designed to layer with Beauty Oil, always finished with SPF 50 to protect the results.
Results take consistency, plan on about 12 weeks before judging your results.
Bakuchiol is generally the safer starting point for sensitive skin, pregnancy/breastfeeding, and anyone who has reacted to retinol before.
Olivia Quido
Olivia Quido is a licensed esthetician and skincare expert known for her results-driven approach to treating acne and dark spots, and is the founder of Olivia Quido Skincare and owner of O Skin Med Spa.
ARTICLE SOURCES +
- Dhaliwal, S., et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;180(2):289–296.
- Chaudhuri, R.K. & Bojanowski, K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2014;36(3):221–230.
- Hakozaki, T., et al. The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer. British Journal of Dermatology. 2002;147(1):20–31.
- Arif, T. Salicylic acid as a peeling agent: a comprehensive review. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2015;8:455–461.
- Pullar, J.M., Carr, A.C., & Vissers, M.C.M. The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):866.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Retinoids and pregnancy guidance.
