Bakuchiol: All you need to know about this active ingredient

Bakuchiol

Commonly known as: Bakuchiol, Babchi seed extract, Bakuchi plant extract.

I.N.C.I. list name: Bakuchiol.

Extraction process: Extraction with hexane from Psoralea corylifolia seeds, then elimination of the solvent by distillation.

Source: Vegetable (bakuchi).

Botanical name: Psoralea corylifolia.

Family: Fabaceae.

Extracted part of the plant: Leaves and seeds.

Origin, provenance: India.

Chemical properties: Meroterpenic phenol; lipophilic molecule (soluble in fats); molecular mass: 256.38 g/mol; functional analogy with retinol.

Properties: Emulsion, colloidal solution, oil.

Required dosage in cosmetic products: From 0.5% to 1% (optimum concentration at which its effectiveness has been proven).

Function: Anti-microbial, antioxidant, emollient, skin care agent.

Specificities: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, regenerating, purifying, depigmenting, soothing, sebo-regulating, antibacterial.

Benefits: All skin types, especially blemished skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, skin with brown marks and to prevent the signs of aging.

The name Bakuchiol comes from the Sanskrit name Bakuchi, the plant which it was extracted from (Psoralea corylifolia), endemic to the Himalayan region. In traditional Indian and Chinese medicine, it is commonly used to treat skin problems. Although Bakuchiol was first isolated in 1966, its first use in topical application did not occur until 2007, when it was introduced to the market under the brand name Sytenol A. Bakuchiol is considered a plant-based alternative to retinol. It can fight effectively against the signs of skin aging with less side effects of retinol (irritations, stability problems, photosensitization, etc). Bakuchiol is also effective against imperfections and targets Propionibacterium acne, the microorganism involved in acne breakouts. Moreover, it regulates the production of sebum by inhibiting the hyperactivity of the sebaceous glands.