INGREDIENT · PLANT ACTIVE
Bakuchiol in skincare: a retinol alternative, tested
Bakuchiol is marketed as a plant-based retinol, and that is one of the few skincare claims that has been put to a head-to-head trial. The trial is small, and the pregnancy question is open.
You may see it written as
- Bakuchiol
What bakuchiol is, and why it gets compared with retinol
Bakuchiol is a meroterpene phenol found in the seeds and leaves of the plant Psoralea corylifolia. A 2014 study found that, although it has no structural resemblance to retinoids, it can function as a functional analogue of retinol. In lab skin models, the two had a very similar effect on gene expression, and both increased the production of types I and IV collagen.1
That is a lab result in a skin substitute model, from authors linked to the company that sells bakuchiol. It is why the comparison with retinol was worth running in people.
The head-to-head trial
In a randomised, double-blind, 12-week study, 44 patients applied either 0.5% bakuchiol cream twice a day or 0.5% retinol cream once a day. A blinded dermatologist graded pigmentation and redness, and photographs were analysed at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Both compounds significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistical difference between them. The retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.2
The authors concluded that bakuchiol is comparable with retinol for improving photoageing, and better tolerated.2 It is a good result and a small one: 44 people, three months, one concentration of each. Read it as promising, and as a reason for larger trials. Retinol has the longer evidence record; see the retinol page.
What newer research adds
A 2026 trial randomised 73 adults in China to topical bakuchiol or a placebo vehicle for 84 days. Compared with the vehicle, the bakuchiol group had less severe wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, smaller-looking pores and better radiance.3 The abstract describes a comparison with vehicle only, so it adds to the placebo evidence but not to the question of how bakuchiol compares with retinol.
A 2026 narrative review of the genomic and clinical data describes bakuchiol as retinol-like in gene-expression tests but working through different pathways. It says clinical studies consistently show improvements in photoaging and pigmentation, with better tolerability than retinol.4 Its author is also an author of the original 2014 gene-expression study, so read it as a summary from people close to the research rather than an independent check.
Using bakuchiol with other products
We did not find a source saying bakuchiol has to be kept apart from another ingredient, and we found no study of it combined with other actives. The trial above tested it on its own against retinol, not alongside it.
Bakuchiol in pregnancy and breastfeeding
We found no pregnancy- or lactation-specific evidence for this ingredient.
Retinol is on Snifff's avoid list in pregnancy, so it is natural to ask whether bakuchiol is the way around it. The honest answer is that nobody knows. Snifff found no pregnancy- or lactation-specific evidence for bakuchiol, which means it has not been shown safe in pregnancy, and it has not been shown unsafe either.
Evidence on cosmetic products in pregnancy is limited overall, so ask your doctor or midwife about the specific product you use.5
What you will see on the label
On a label, look for Bakuchiol. Snifff shows it as Low risk. For the rest of the formula, see what the score means and how to read the list.
As Snifff shows itBakuchiol
Pregnancy and nursing
We found no pregnancy- or lactation-specific evidence for this ingredient.
Wording as it appears in the extension, which can change between releases.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Common questions about bakuchiol
Is bakuchiol as good as retinol?
In a 12-week randomised trial of 44 people, 0.5% bakuchiol twice daily and 0.5% retinol once daily both reduced wrinkles and pigmentation, with no statistical difference.2 It was a small trial.
Is bakuchiol gentler than retinol?
In that 12-week trial of 44 people, the retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging than the bakuchiol users.2
Is bakuchiol a retinoid?
No. It has no structural resemblance to retinoids, but it affected gene expression in lab skin models in a way similar to retinol.1
Does bakuchiol help with dark spots?
In a 2026 placebo-controlled trial of 73 adults, bakuchiol reduced hyperpigmentation compared with the vehicle over 84 days.3 In the 2019 head-to-head trial, both bakuchiol and retinol reduced pigmentation.2
Is bakuchiol safe in pregnancy?
Snifff found no pregnancy-specific evidence for Bakuchiol. Ask your doctor or midwife about the product you use.
WHERE THIS COMES FROM
Sources
- Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effectsChaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K · International Journal of Cosmetic Science · 2014
- Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageingDhaliwal S, et al. · British Journal of Dermatology · 2019
- Prospective, double-blind, vehicle-controlled assessment of topical bakuchiol on photoaging in a Chinese populationKhan Z, Chaudhuri R, Dulai A, et al. · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology · 2026
- Bakuchiol: from structural mimicry to systems-level skin biologyChaudhuri RK · International Journal of Cosmetic Science · 2026
- Cosmetic dermatology in pregnancy and lactation: a risk-benefit framework for clinical practiceKovacs T, et al. · International Journal of Dermatology · 2026
This page explains an ingredient. It is not medical advice, and it is not an assessment of any product. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a skin condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist.