The reason why "bakuchiol" is often compared to Retinol is because it has
emerged and gained prominence by capitalizing on the popularity of Retinol.
"Retinol" is the superstar among skincare ingredients, with an abundance of research data available for reference in various aspects such as anti-aging, acne treatment, and skin whitening. Consistent use promises remarkable skincare benefits.
However, "Retinol" can be a bit temperamental; its effectiveness is matched by its potential for irritation. The most common side effect is peeling. I still vividly remember the awkward situation when my face started shedding after my first experience with "Retinol," and my best friend couldn't resist teasing me. It was as embarrassing as it gets.
I've had it relatively easy; some people may also experience redness, stinging, and increased sensitivity.
In summary, the period before developing tolerance can be quite challenging. Therefore, when an active ingredient emerges with comparable efficacy to "Retinol" but with minimal side effects, it tends to attract widespread attention in the industry.
For example, we've previously discussed HPR multiple times, and today's spotlight is on "bakuchiol."
"Bakuchiol," despite not resembling "Retinol" closely, shares very similar clinical benefits with it.
A study published in the British Journal of Dermatology in 2019 found that "bakuchiol" is as effective as "Retinol" in reducing fine lines and improving skin tone but with fewer side effects.
This was a 12-week randomized, double-blind study involving 44 participants who were divided into two groups. Each group applied either a 0.5% "bakuchiol" cream or a 0.5% "Retinol" cream twice daily.
Facial photos and analysis systems were utilized to obtain and analyze the participants' skin conditions at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks during the study.
The results indicated that after 12 weeks, both the "bakuchiol" group and the "Retinol" group experienced a reduction of approximately 20% in wrinkle surface area. In the "bakuchiol" group, excessive pigmentation decreased by 59%, whereas in the "Retinol" group, it decreased by 44%.
The "Retinol" group reported three to five times more instances of facial skin peeling and stinging compared to the "bakuchiol" group.
The effect of bakuchiol on reducing wrinkles is significant
The effect of bakuchiol on improving hyperpigmentation is significant
In other clinical studies, it has been found that, like retinol, bakuchiol performs well in terms of firming the skin and improving acne.
The effect of bakuchiol on improving acne
One drawback of retinol is its irritability, and another is its relatively low stability. When exposed to air, water, or light, most vitamin A derivatives, especially traditional retinyl esters, exhibit poor chemical stability, posing a risk of phototoxicity and light-induced DNA mutations.
Without the addition of protective measures in the formulation, the stability of retinol after 12 hours of light exposure is only 11%.
However, bakuchiol is quite resilient. Not only is it robust on its own, but it can also stabilize other ingredients in the formulation, such as retinol. Additionally, bakuchiol can activate genes related to the metabolism and utilization of retinol. Therefore, they complement each other rather than compete, making them effective partners with synergistic effects when used together.
In addition to retinol, bakuchiol also complements ingredients such as salicylic acid, linoleic acid, and Acetyl Zingerone. According to data from our own laboratory experiments, the combination of 0.5% bakuchiol and 0.5% Ectoin far surpasses the anti-aging effects of high concentrations of Pro-Xylane.
The reason why retinol has multiple and potent effects is because it plays a versatile role in various cellular pathways. Its presence can alter the expression of hundreds or even thousands of genes within the cell.
Under the collective influence of these genes, cells become more youthful, leading to increased collagen production and accelerated metabolism of melanin.
And bakuchiol plays a similar role. According to gene expression profiling analysis, it has been found that bakuchiol can also alter the expression of thousands of genes, and the types and extent of changes in those genes are very similar to those induced by retinol.
For example, both can significantly increase the expression of genes related to type 1, 3, and 4 collagen, thereby improving dermal filling and reducing wrinkles. They can also reduce the expression of 5α-reductase, leading to a decrease in sebum secretion. Additionally, by upregulating the expression of DNA repair enzymes, they contribute to the improvement and even reversal of cellular damage.
Certainly, their regulatory effects are not entirely identical. For instance, the key genes (RARG, RARB, and CRABP1) that are associated with the side effects of retinol are not activated by bakuchiol, and in some cases, they are even inhibited.
This molecular mechanism explains why bakuchiol produces similar effects to retinol but without the associated side effects.
However, the presence of bakuchiol or bakuchiol seed extract doesn't automatically make a product good.
"Bakuchiol" is extracted from the seeds of the natural plant Psoralea corylifolia, commonly known as bakuchiol. Babchi oil is a medicinal herb used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. It is known for containing photosensitive compounds such as psoralen and isobavachin, making it useful in the treatment of conditions like vitiligo.
However, you definitely wouldn't want to apply these photosensitizing agents to normal skin because they can not only cause tanning and sunburn but also, with prolonged use, potentially lead to skin cancer.
The isolation and purification process of bakuchiol is complex and intricate. After purification, its purity is further assessed using precise detection methods such as HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography).
Many raw material suppliers offer bakuchiol, but only the pioneer of bakuchiol, Sytheon in the United States, can achieve a purity level greater than 99%. The content of psoralen and isobavachin is less than 25 ppm (parts per million).
According to internal testing data from a company within the industry, currently available bakuchiol raw materials on the market often exhibit low purity and residual psoralen issues.
Sytheon's raw material is a brownish, slightly plant-scented, oily liquid:
I've heard that some manufacturers' raw materials have a strong, pungent odor of organic solvents as soon as you open them.
Therefore, a wise choice is to opt for products that specifically mention the use of Sytheon's Sytenol A (bakuchiol ). You can check the official website or inquire with customer service about the source of the raw materials. If in doubt, choose products from brands with a high reputation and positive reviews.
It's even possible to find products on the market now that claim to contain 4% bakuchiol.
In fact, almost all human trials conducted by Sytheon have used concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 1.0%. While the figure 0.5% might seem low, it has already demonstrated noticeable skincare effects.
Pursuing higher concentrations not only increases costs but may not necessarily lead to better results. Moreover, if you are using genuine raw materials, higher concentrations can make the product oily, affect its appearance, and increase formulation challenges.
Therefore, Sytheon advises partner brands to use bakuchiol at concentrations not exceeding 1%. Additionally, if other ingredients that synergize well with bakuchiol are added to the formulation, the product's effectiveness can be optimized.
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