Bakuchiol vs Retinol: The Future of Timeless Skincare — MELANUA’s Science of Grace

Retinol has long held an important place in skincare, supported by decades of research and widespread use in routines concerned with visible signs of skin ageing. Bakuchiol has emerged more recently as a plant-derived ingredient with some intriguing similarities to retinol — but the two are not the same.

So how do Bakuchiol and retinol actually compare? And what does the research tell us about their effects, tolerability and place within a skincare routine?

The answer is more interesting than simply declaring one ingredient the winner.

What is retinol?

Retinol is a form of vitamin A and belongs to the wider retinoid family. Topical retinoids have a substantial history in dermatology and cosmetic skincare, particularly in relation to photoageing and visible changes such as fine lines and uneven pigmentation.

Retinol can be effective, but tolerability varies. Dryness, scaling, stinging and irritation can occur, particularly when retinoid products are introduced too quickly or used at a strength or frequency the skin does not tolerate well.

That trade-off between efficacy and tolerability is one reason interest in Bakuchiol has grown.

What is Bakuchiol?

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived compound associated with Psoralea corylifolia, also known as the Babchi plant.

Importantly, Bakuchiol is not a retinoid and does not have the same chemical structure as retinol.

Research has nevertheless found similarities in some of the biological pathways influenced by the two ingredients. An earlier laboratory and clinical investigation described Bakuchiol as a “retinol-like” functional compound based partly on similarities observed in gene-expression activity, despite the structural differences between them.

That makes Bakuchiol scientifically interesting — but it does not mean Bakuchiol and retinol should be treated as identical ingredients.

Bakuchiol vs Retinol: what did the clinical comparison find?

One of the most frequently cited comparisons was a 12-week randomised, double-blind study involving 44 participants.

Participants were asked to use either 0.5% Bakuchiol cream twice daily or 0.5% retinol cream once daily. Researchers assessed changes including wrinkles, pigmentation and tolerability.

Both groups showed improvement in measures of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. Participants using retinol reported more facial scaling and stinging.

This is encouraging evidence for Bakuchiol, but the result needs context. The study was relatively small, the ingredients were used at different frequencies, and one clinical trial does not establish that Bakuchiol and retinol are universally equivalent across different products, concentrations, formulations or skin types.

Broader reviews of Bakuchiol research have also found promising results while noting limitations in the available clinical evidence and the need for further well-designed studies.

Is Bakuchiol as effective as retinol?

The evidence does not justify a simple claim that Bakuchiol is universally “equal to retinol.”

The 2019 comparative study found meaningful improvements with both ingredients under its specific study conditions, but that finding should not be extended to every Bakuchiol and retinol product.

Retinoids also have a much larger and longer-established evidence base.

A more accurate conclusion is that Bakuchiol has demonstrated promising retinol-like activity and clinical potential while remaining chemically distinct from retinol.

Does Bakuchiol cause irritation?

Bakuchiol is often described as a gentler alternative to retinol, and the comparative clinical study found less reported scaling and stinging in the Bakuchiol group.

But “gentler” should not be confused with “incapable of causing irritation.”

Individual reactions to skincare ingredients remain possible. A systematic review of the dermatological literature identified a reported case of contact dermatitis associated with Bakuchiol, alongside the broader body of research describing generally favourable tolerability.

For that reason, MELANUA® does not describe Bakuchiol as universally non-irritating or suitable for every person.

Bakuchiol vs Retinol: the differences at a glance

Consideration	Retinol	Bakuchiol
What is it?	A vitamin A derivative within the retinoid family	A plant-derived compound associated with Psoralea corylifolia
Is it a retinoid?	Yes	No
Evidence base	Extensive history of dermatological and cosmetic research	Smaller but developing body of laboratory and clinical research
Visible ageing	Established use for visible signs of photoageing	Clinical studies have reported improvements in measures including wrinkles and pigmentation
Tolerability	Dryness, scaling and irritation can occur	Generally well tolerated in published studies, but individual reactions remain possible
Are they chemically the same?	No — retinol has its own vitamin A-derived structure	No — structurally different despite some retinol-like biological activity
In MELANUA®	Not used in Crème de L’Éternité™	Used as a key active in Crème de L’Éternité™

So, which one should you choose?

There is no universal answer.

Retinol has the advantage of a much larger research history. For people who tolerate retinol well and already have an established routine, there may be no reason to abandon it simply because Bakuchiol exists.

Bakuchiol provides a different option for people interested in a plant-derived ingredient with emerging evidence around visible signs of skin ageing and a generally favourable tolerability profile in published research.

The appropriate choice also depends on the finished product, concentration, the rest of the routine and individual skin tolerance — not simply the name of one active ingredient on a label.

Can you use Bakuchiol and retinol together?

Bakuchiol and retinol are not inherently the same ingredient, and using Bakuchiol does not automatically mean retinol must disappear from every skincare routine.

However, adding more active ingredients is not necessarily better. A routine containing multiple actives may become harder to tolerate or troubleshoot, particularly for skin already experiencing dryness or irritation.

For a detailed guide to ingredient compatibility — including Bakuchiol with niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, retinol and exfoliating acids — read our guide to layering Bakuchiol.

Why MELANUA® chose Bakuchiol

For Crème de L’Éternité™, MELANUA® chose Bakuchiol as part of a broader formulation rather than treating a single ingredient as the entire story.

Crème de L’Éternité™ combines Bakuchiol with niacinamide, Matrixyl® 3000 peptides, hyaluronic acid, Kakadu plum, squalane and a blend of moisturising ingredients.

These ingredients sit within a rich moisturising formulation designed to support skin hydration, suppleness and the appearance of firmness while making the moisturising step itself part of the daily ritual.

The current formulation does not rely on retinol.

Discover Crème de L’Éternité™ →

Bakuchiol and the idea of gentle renewal

At MELANUA®, choosing Bakuchiol was never about declaring retinol obsolete.

It reflects a different formulation philosophy: combining contemporary cosmetic science with a considered sensory experience and allowing skincare to feel restorative rather than aggressive.

That philosophy is expressed in Crème de L’Éternité™ through the relationship between Bakuchiol, peptides, hydration and a rich moisturising base — rather than through a single ingredient presented in isolation.

The takeaway

Bakuchiol and retinol should not be reduced to a simple contest.

Retinol has a deeper and more established research history. Bakuchiol is chemically distinct but has demonstrated promising retinol-like activity, with clinical research suggesting potential benefits for visible signs of photoageing and favourable tolerability in studied formulations.

What the current evidence does not establish is that Bakuchiol is universally equivalent to retinol, incapable of causing irritation or suitable for every skin type.

The more useful question is not simply “Which ingredient is better?”

It is which formulation, routine and approach make sense for your skin.

References

Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;180(2):289–296. View research on PubMed.

Chaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically demonstrated to have anti-aging effects. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2014;36(3):221–230. View research on PubMed.

Puyana C, Chandan N, Tsoukas M. Applications of bakuchiol in dermatology: systematic review of the literature. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2022;21(12):6636–6643. View systematic review on PubMed.

Fanning JE, McGee SA, Ibrahim OI. Human Clinical Trials Using Topical Bakuchiol Formulations for the Treatment of Skin Disorders: A Systematic Review. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2024;23(4):239–243. View systematic review on PubMed.