Skincare only gets more complicated as you age and it’s not always easy to pick a product that will help you look better without side-effects. Retinoic acid products such as Retin-A can be really beneficial for your skin, but they require some getting-used-to and may have some unwanted effects like dryness and sensitivity.
The skincare world’s latest obsession is a “natural alternative” for retinol called bakuchiol. As Dr. Gretchen Frieling, a dermatopathologist from Boston, explained for Elle, “Bakuchiol is a chemical compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties extracted from the bakuchi plant seeds.” She explains that, while it doesn’t resemble retinol in terms of structure, it can be seen as its alternative in terms of the effects. The plant bakuchi has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for a long time.
The results of using bakuchiol can be seen immediately: your skin will look plump, bright, and radiant. Over time, the effects will only get better. In four to eight weeks of use, you can expect your fine lines and wrinkles to become less visible and your skin tone to look evener.
However, if you’ve been using retinol for a while without side-effects, you can safely stick to it without experimenting with new products.
