Retinol has been all the rage for the past few years. From celebrities to social media influencers, you must have seen and heard them all talk about the benefits of retinol. But, are you now seeing products with bakuchiol that claim to be as effective as retinol but are much kinder to the skin? If you are curious to know more about retinol and bakuchiol, keep reading to understand the two ingredients and their differences & similarities.
Retinol is a synthetic active ingredient that is made by breaking down vitamin A. It is known to fight early signs of ageing, slow down skin’s overall ageing process, refine the pores and give us smooth & even-toned skin. It is a brilliant ingredient, but what if we tell you there is another ingredient that works almost the same way but does not have the side effects of retinol? Yes, you have guessed it right, it is bakuchiol!
As retinol is an active ingredient, it is quite potent and so must be used exactly how the product manual asks you to. This is one ingredient that most skincare nerds are scared of using and there is a big reason behind their fear. Because of its synthetic properties and high potency, often the users have been left with skin purging or burnt skin that may take a long time to heal. A skincare ingredient that can cause this much harm always poses a risk to the skin so, bakuchiol comes to the rescue as a much better alternative.
Bakuchiol is a plant extract that is derived from vitamin A found in a plant called the babchi plant. It has been used in ancient Chinese medicines and Indian Ayurvedic medicines for ages but its benefits have been discovered by the rest of the world very recently. It is packed with antioxidants that help reverse the signs of ageing just as retinol does. It is a clean ingredient that does not irritate the skin, helps prevent fine lines & wrinkles, helps with pigmentation, elasticity & firmness and is also beneficial for acne-prone skin. It is so gentle that people with skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis can also use it.
When to use Bakuchiol - In AM Routine or PM Routine?
Bakuchiol is a gentle active ingredient that does not sensitise the skin. You can use it twice a day for both your AM routine and PM routine without causing any harm to the skin. However, one can never use retinol twice a day. Retinol must be strictly used only for their PM routine as it may react with sunlight.
How to incorporate Bakuchiol into your regime?
You can use Astaberry Indulge Acai Berry Bio-Hyaluronate Range which contains Bakuchiol in all its products.
- Step-1: You must gently cleanse your skin with Acai Berry Foaming Face Wash to remove all the dirt so that you can start your regime.
- Step-2: Prep your skin with Acai Berry Toner that soothes the skin & tightens pores.
- Step-3: Then apply Acai Berry Serum which is rich in antioxidants & Bakuchiol. Apply a few drops & massage until it is completely absorbed by the skin.
- Step-4: Follow it up with the Acai Berry Night Creme` to seal all the hydration & moisture in.
- Step-5: For your AM skincare routine, you must always apply sunscreen after the above steps. However, in your PM routine, you can apply the Acai Berry Sleeping Mask & wake up with glowing, plump & radiant-looking skin!
How to layer Bakuchiol with other skincare ingredients?
Bakuchiol can be used along with any skincare ingredient and layered with any active ingredient as it does not inhibit or hamper the actions of any of the actives. You can also use bakuchiol after exfoliating your skin with an active ingredient this will give you an improved result. However, while using retinol, you must keep the skincare ingredients to a minimum. You can only use products such as a moisturiser containing ceramides, peptides or niacinamide. Using retinol with any other actives may cause adverse reactions such as increased sensitivity, burning, redness, clogged pores or dryness.
What are the side effects ?
Bakuchiol does not cause any adverse effects on the skin even though it works exactly like an active ingredient. It is considered to improve the skin barrier while keeping the skin moisturised and reducing Tran epidermal water loss (TEWL). Retinol on the other hand can make the skin very dry and cause skin purging during the initial days of application. If you are on a retinol treatment, you must always use SPF cream in your routine as it increases your skin’s sensitivity.
How stable is it?
Unlike retinol, bakuchiol is not a photosensitive ingredient and so it can be stored in transparent glass bottles and can be used in the AM skincare routine as well. However, retinol is an extremely photosensitive ingredient, blue light and UV light can easily disrupt its effectivity on the skin for which it must be stored in bottles through which light cannot pass. If the formulation of the product is not right, the efficiency of retinol gets reduced to a great extent.
How suitable is it for beginners?
If you are a new user who wants to incorporate vitamin A in your skincare routine, it is advised that you start with bakuchiol as it is gentler to the skin. It is a beginner-friendly and fuss-free ingredient that does not require caution before use. On the other hand, you have to be very cautious before using retinol. You can use retinol only if you have studied properly about it.
How suitable is it for acne-prone skin?
Retinol is extremely harmful to your skin if you have active acne or if there is any kind of breakage on your skin. Retinol can aggravate the skin condition by causing further inflammation as it is a very potent chemical that affects the skin barrier. In such cases, bakuchiol can be very good for the skin as it soothes the skin and treats acne.
Conclusion
We can conclude that Bakuchiol is a game-changing magic ingredient in the skincare industry that beats the synthetic ingredient retinol as it not only heals the skin but is also gentle and kind to the skin.
