The bakuchiol trend is poised to evolve.
Extracted from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia, commonly used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, the natural ingredient is known for its ‘retinol like’ results.
Bakuchiol helps to protect the skin from free radicals, while also improving skin tone, texture, firmness and elasticity, “resulting in skin that feels smoother and more radiant”, according to Jane Saint, in-house skin care expert and educator at British skin care brand Beautypro.
“Additionally,” she says, “the ingredient has the potential to improve acne-prone skin as it offers anti-inflammatory properties.”
“Bakuchiol gained a lot of attention at first because it was being touted as a ‘natural’ alternative to retinol, but that isn’t true,” adds Heather Wish, Educational Brand Manager at Paula’s Choice.
“Bakuchiol does not work the same way as retinol does, but they do share many of the same benefits around improving signs of ageing and reducing the impacts of environmental damage.”
Medik8’s CPO and Founding Partner, Daniel Isaacs, explains that the ingredient doesn’t convert to retinoic acid like retinol or retinal, so it is not identical in how it works, “but studies show it delivers comparable visible results over time.”
That said, bakuchiol “typically requires a longer timeframe to achieve results comparable to conventional retinoids,” as Rita Sellars, Director and Formulating Chemist at Australian private label manufacturer pH Factor, points out.
Research suggests that bakusylan improves skin penetration through the stratum corneum and stimulates collagen production
For Medik8, bakuchiol is a smart option for those who can’t use vitamin A, such as those with sensitive skin, or who are pregnant.
“Bakuchiol helps to reduce the look of wrinkles, improve texture and support collagen production, all without the need to phase it into your routine like you would with retinoids,” Isaacs says. “It is photostable too, which means it can be used morning or night without concern.”
Additionally, as The Inkey List’s co-founder Mark Curry tells Cosmetics Business, bakuchiol’s positive reputation is also linked to consumers’ conscious choices, resonating with values like sustainability, gentleness and inclusivity.
“It gives people hope that effective skin care doesn’t have to come with a trade-off,” he explains.
Of course, bakuchiol may be paired in a formulation with retinol and other retinoids, such as in Paula’s Choice’s Clinical 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment, a moderate-strength retinol with 2% plant-derived bakuchiol.
“Research shows that bakuchiol and retinol work even better together,” says the brand’s educational lead Wish.
“Plant-derived bakuchiol is one of a few ingredients that can stabilise retinol, allowing it to work more effectively and for longer, even at a lower concentration.”
Regulatory environment
Bakuchiol is far from being a beauty newcomer.
The first marketed version of the ingredient (Sytenol A by Sytheon, now part of Hallstar) became available in 2007.
However, bakuchiol-containing skin care really took off in the late 2010s with the launches of Ole Henriksen’s Retin-ALT line and Omorovicza’s Miracle Facial Oil, among other pioneers.
The rush of NPD activity in the years following means many skin care brands now offer a bakuchiol product, and the bakuchiol market is expected to grow from US$9.8m in 2024 to $17.5m by 2033, according to a November 2024 report from Dimension Market Research.
Adding momentum to predicted growth is the EU’s limiting of retinol, retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate to 0.3% in face products and 0.05% in body products to reduce potential overexposure to vitamin A.
The Inkey List’s Curry notes: “Regulatory landscapes are changing – especially in the EU, where stricter limits on retinol concentrations are driving brands to rethink how they deliver efficacy. Bakuchiol can step into that space. It gives brands a tool to solve for results-first skin care without worrying about compliance headaches.”
Although Wish predicts any large- scale takeover will be stymied by the fact consumers can always “look for an alternative strength [of vitamin A] that is still effective.”
Bakuchiol salicylate
Another potential lift of bakuchiol’s profile comes from the early excitement around bakuchiol salicylate (also known as bakusylan), a relatively new ingredient developed to boost the performance of bakuchiol.
“It is a new molecule, which is a derivative of two dif ferent ingredients formed by esterifying the bakuchiol with salicylic acid,” explains Cigdem Kemal Yilmaz, founder and CEO of education and consultation platform Skin Masterclass.
Pharmacist and formulation specialist Reyhaneh Astaneh adds: “Research suggests that bakusylan improves skin penetration through the stratum corneum [the outermost layer of the skin], enhances the expression of type IV collagen genes in comprehensive skin models and stimulates collagen production in adult human dermal fibroblast cultures.”
The ingredient enhances the performance of bakuchiol by pairing it with a known exfoliant and anti- inflammatory agent.
The bakuchiol portion helps regulate gene expression linked to collagen production and cell turnover, similar to retinol, Rachael Polowyj, Business Development Manager – Indie Brands for ingredients specialist IMCD’s Beauty & Personal Care division, tells Cosmetics Business.
Meanwhile, the salicylate component gently exfoliates the skin and reduces inflammation by penetrating pores and dissolving sebum. “The two molecules complement each other to deliver a synergistic effect,” Polowyj says.
She explains that bakuchiol and salicylic acid individually have poor skin permeation, “but when coupled together to form an ester, skin permeation is enhanced and is able to deliver its activity into the skin.”
“The esterified structure [of bakuchiol salicylate] provides a time-release effect, which has the potential to reduce irritation while maintaining continuous activity,” adds Sellars.
“This allows for more consistent results, particularly for those with compromised skin barriers who might otherwise struggle with pure salicylic acid products.
“I think from a formulation perspective (and not having used it yet) I can see some great plus points, reduced oxidation risk, longer shelf-life, less yellowing and less irritation of ‘free’ salicylic acid.”
Adressing acne and ageing
For Yilmaz, “if they [the suppliers] are leaning more on hydration, barrier function and stimulation of collagen they might be missing a trick with the marketing.”
In her opinion, if the ingredient is proven to have salicylic acid-like benefits, such as anti-sebum and pore unclogging activity, alongside anti-ageing efficacy,
it could be a solution for the large and underserved group of women looking to address both acne and signs of ageing.
If bakuchiol salicylate’s salicylic acid- like benefits are strong enough, another plus point might be its incorporation into a broader range of end products.
It needs more data for toxicology, safety, efficacy, etc, and they need to do all of these things repeatedly, because it’s a new active ingredient
“Salicylic acid is not oil or water soluble, only in alcohol, which is why it’s mainly used in toners and essences,” says Yilmaz.
“But with this, because it’s oil soluble, it becomes much easier to add it into serums, cleansers or creams, and it becomes much more universal.”
While brands are showing interest in bakuchiol salicylate, with Medik8’s Isaacs calling it “a smart dual-action ingredient” on paper, he adds “as with all innovations, it’s important to evaluate how it performs in real-world formulation across all skin types and tones.”
Other experts would also like to see more validation, with Astaneh noting: “It needs more data for toxicology, safety, efficacy, etc, and they need to do all of these things repeatedly, because it is a new active ingredient.”
From IMCD’s perspective, uptake is still emerging, but growing steadily.
“Fast, innovative indie brands have already taken this new molecule to market,” says Polowyj. “And bigger brands and multinationals are assessing this material in their upcoming pipeline.”