Bakuchiol vs Retinol: A Gentler Glow

Retinol has been the gold standard of anti-ageing for forty years. It is also the reason millions of people give up on their skincare routine within a month. Bakuchiol — extracted from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant — offers a different path.

The same receptors, a softer key

A 2019 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology compared 0.5% bakuchiol to 0.5% retinol over twelve weeks. Both reduced wrinkle depth and hyperpigmentation by statistically equivalent amounts. Only the retinol group reported scaling and stinging.

The reason is mechanistic: bakuchiol activates the same retinoic acid receptors but does so without disrupting the skin's barrier proteins. It is a gentler key turning the same lock.

"The future of efficacy is not stronger. It is smarter — and quieter."

Pregnancy, sensitivity, and the sun

Unlike retinol, bakuchiol is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding by most obstetric dermatologists. It is also photostable — meaning it can be used morning and night without degrading in sunlight, and without increasing photosensitivity.

How we use it in Velour

Night Recovery contains 1% cold-pressed bakuchiol stabilised in a squalane carrier. The squalane is biomimetic to the skin's own sebum, which means the active is delivered in the medium your skin already recognises.