Bakuchiol 1% Face serum

• Bakuchiol 1%. A compound found in Psoralea corylifolia, native to India and Sri Lanka. It behaves like retinol in the research without being a retinoid. We use 1%; the trial that put it next to retinol used 0.5%.
• Rosehip CO2 Oil. Cold-pressed and rich in vitamin A, from wild rose bushes native to the southern Andes, Europe, north-west Africa and western Asia.
• Native Orange Pearl. A cellular extract from Maclura cochinchinensis, native to Queensland and northern New South Wales. Nobody else in the category uses it.
• Aloe Vera Leaf Juice. Certified organic, and the base the whole formula is built on.
• Lotus Pink Absolute. An aromatic oil from the pink lotus, sweet and earthy. The lotus represented beauty, life and resurrection in ancient Egypt.

The full ingredient list is under Directions and safety below.

What it's for:

• Helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Helps skin look firm.
• No retinol-associated scaling or stinging was reported in the research on the ingredient.
• Photostable, so there's no sun-sensitivity trade-off through an Australian summer. Wear SPF anyway.

What it isn't:

It won't work in a week — give it three months for lines and tone. It won't do what a laser does. And it won't replace sunscreen.

The trial that started the conversation

In a randomised, double-blind trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology, 44 people used either bakuchiol or retinol for twelve weeks. Both groups saw comparable improvement in the appearance of wrinkles and uneven tone. The retinol group reported significantly more scaling and stinging. (Dhaliwal et al., Br J Dermatol 2019;180(2):289–296.)

That research was on the ingredient at 0.5%, in a different base — not on our formula. A single study of 44 people is grounds for saying the research suggests something. It isn't grounds for calling it proven, and we won't. We'll always tell you that.

A second study, on reactive skin

A separate four-week study followed 60 women aged 40 to 65 with reactive skin. Barrier measurements didn't move from baseline, and skin moisture rose by 16%. Again: on the ingredient, not on our formula.

Why we stopped at 1%

You'll find bakuchiol at 2%, and at 4%. The trial that put it next to retinol ran at 0.5% — half what we use. More isn't shown to work better, and more is where irritation starts. A pharmacist's job is to pick the dose that works and stop there.

Directions

One to two pumps on clean skin at night. Massage into the face and neck in an upward circular motion, then follow with moisturiser. Sunscreen every morning. Patch test on your inner arm for a couple of days before you start.

Ingredients

*Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Glycerine, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol , Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba Oil), *Cocos Nucifera Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Bakuchiol Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Rosa Canina Fruit (Rosehip) CO2 Oil, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract (Lotus Pink Absolute), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid), Maclura Cochinchinensis (Orange Pearl) Cellular Extract, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate. *Denotes Certified Organic

Warnings and precautions

For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water. Discontinue use if irritation occurs. Consult a healthcare provider before use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Use sunscreen during the day while using this product, Store below 25°C.