Ingredient In Focus: Bakuchiol

What's The Buzz Around Bakuchiol?

Plant-based and proven to have all the many positive skin benefits of a traditional Retinol but with the added appeal of having no photosensitive side effects, could this be nature’s answer to so many of our skincare woes?

The Lowdown

The collective quest for fresh, vibrant looking skin has ensured retinoids have become a much marketed tried and tested route to achieving results. Visit any dermatologist and they will recommend retinoids as the first port of call for boosting collagen, minimising fine lines, reducing pigmentation, helping prevent acne and achieving that elusive glow. These Vitamin-A derived topicals are some of the most studied and scientifically backed in the skincare market.

However, one factor to consider with more mainstream retinoids is that they can sometimes be difficult to tolerate. More often than not, adding a retinoid into your skincare routine can mean enduring the ‘difficult stages’ before you reach the ‘glowy stage’, which is where Bakuchiol, a clever Bio-retinol comes in.

Extracted from the seeds of The Babchi tree in India, naturally derived Bakuchiol (pronounced BA-COO-CHIOL) has been used in traditional Ayurvedic practices for thousands of years. It is now gaining widespread popularity as a gentler alternative to mainstream versions. Furthermore, there have been hundreds of clinical trials on Bakuchiol, (which, has a similar structure to Retinol minus one molecule) which have shown that it has all the same benefits of its man-made counterpart, minus all the sensitivity-inducing downsides.

In the Harvard Health Publishing Journal it was documented in a study in the British Journal of Dermatology that Bakuchiol is just as effective at erasing fine lines and improving the appearance of pigmentation as Retinol. The same Harvard piece also referred to a study where a Bakuchiol containing cleanser and moisturiser improved skin smoothness and ageing...

Why Do You Need Bakuchiol In Your Skincare Regime?

As we get older our collagen and ceramide production decreases, which can leave skin thinner and more prone to lines, wrinkles and sun damage. Whether on your face or body, one way to get skin back on track is to add more bio-actives into your skincare routine. This will help to support and even kickstart your skin’s natural cellular processes.

According to one study in the National Library of Medicine in 2022, Bakuchiol showed high levels of antioxidative activity, and areas supplemented with Bakuchiol ‘displayed a significant increase in epidermis regeneration.’ Another study in the Journal of Integrative Dermatology in 2022 analysing the effects of topical Bakuchiol on skin prematurely aged by ultraviolet rays showed that ‘Bakuchiol was effective in improving photoaging with minimal side effects on normal and sensitive skin.'

Bakuchiol is a modern skincare multitasker. It works to improve the appearance of skin on so many levels. Not only does it boost collagen and increase cell renewal (a process scientifically called ‘desquamation’), it also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Regular use supports your skin in such a profound way that it appears smoother, more springy and plump, even toned and luminous.

Scentiana & Bakuchiol

No wonder, then, that Bakuchiol is a key ingredient in our Sunlit Body Shimmer which works to revive and regenerate lacklustre skin leaving it with the most dreamy golden glow.

Another big plus of using this particular Bio-retinol is that it can be combined with other actives and ingredients without a risk of reaction. We’ve mindfully layered it with three other highly effective actives: Hyaluronic Acid for deep hydration; Vitamin C for its antioxidant, skin brightening and collagen boosting properties, and Phytoceramides which help to bolster the skin from the inside out. Together with Bakuchiol, this powerhouse of ingredients works to protect and transform your skin, leaving is irresistibly softer and beautifully nurtured. It is rare to find these sorts of A-grade ingredients in a body care product. The addition of lustrous golden pigments means skin is left with a subtle golden shimmer and literally beams with light. Meanwhile an aroma infused with Jasmine, Neroli and Rose, completes the experience and softens the soul as much as the skin. A wonder product.