Bakuchiol

Primary Function: Our Bakuchiol extract’s evidence of strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and collagen stimulation properties make it the true all-natural and gentle alternative to Retinol that is sensitive skin friendly.

Secondary Function:  Bakuchiol’s anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities make it an ideal ingredient for those looking to calm their flareup prone skin.

History of Use: Even though it has been lauded as a new wonder-ingredient in the skincare world, the many benefits of Bakuchiol are not novel discoveries. Obtained from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant that is native to India, Bakuchiol has been used in Ayurvedic and ancient Chinese medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. In Ayuverda, the seeds are specifically used to treat various skin conditions such as vitiligo, psoriasis or even leprosy.     

Ingredient Source: Our Bakuchiol is extracted and purified from babchi seeds in India by an ISO 14001 and REACH certified provider that is committed to environmental sustainability and sources its ingredients through full compliance of the Nagoya Protocol. This ingredient is certified as vegan and was created without the use of any animal resources and testing.

Scientific Studies:   

Anti-Aging Benefits:

  • Collagen Stimulation: A hallmark of aged skin is the loss of collagen and the increase in the number of proteins that contribute to the degradation of collagen. This decrease in collagen amount results in wrinkles and loss of elasticity and firmness. Research shows that Bakuchiol extracts can actively stimulate the production of new and undamaged collagen at a rate that is significantly higher than those of Retinol.
  • Anti-inflammatory Properties: An inflammatory environment also leads to the increased activity of proteins that are responsible for the breaking down of the collagen in the skin. Therefore, Bakuchiol’s inhibition of pro-inflammatory genes and proteins may also providing anti-aging benefits by protecting the collagen.
  • Antioxidant Properties: Oxidation and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are responsible for much of the cell damage that brings about the common signs of aging. Our research has shown that Bakuchiol exhibits strong antioxidant capabilities, especially against lipid peroxidation, and promotes the expression of genes that are involved in antioxidant protection pathways.

Anti-inflammatory Benefits:  

A significant imbalance in the species and strains of the skin microbiome has been proven to be a leading cause of inflammatory acne. Out of balance Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) numbers and strains have been highlighted as a main culprit in inflammatory acne and treatments that reduce its numbers have led to significant improvements in acne. Bakuchiol extracts have broad-action antibacterial and antifungal properties which, coupled which its anti-inflammatory benefits, bring significant and noticeable improvements in reducing flareups in breakout prone skin.

 

Scientific Claims:  

  • Dhaliwal, S., Rybak, I., Ellis, S. R., Notay, M., Trivedi, M., Burney, W., Vaughn, A. R., Nguyen, M., Reiter, P., Bosanac, S., Yan, H., Foolad, N., & Sivamani, R. K. (2019). Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. The British journal of dermatology, 180(2), 289–296. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.16918
  • Brownell, L., Geen, S., E, Y., & Lee, W. L. (2021). A Clinical Study Evaluating the Efficacy of Topical Bakuchiol (UP256) Cream on Facial Acne. Journal of drugs in dermatology : JDD, 20(3), 307–310. https://doi.org/10.36849/JDD.5655
  • Chaudhuri, R. K., & Bojanowski, K. (2014). 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(3), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12117
  • Yu, Q., Zou, H. M., Wang, S., Xu, Y. M., Li, J. M., & Zhang, N. (2014). Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials, 37(4), 632–635.