Bakuchi Seed Oil
What is bakuchi?
Bakuchi, also called babchi, is a small flowering plant native to India. Its seeds have long been used in traditional herbal and Ayurvedic skin preparations. Today the seeds are used in two ways in skincare: pressed or extracted into a whole seed oil, or refined into purified bakuchiol.
Why we use the whole seed oil, not isolated bakuchiol
Bakuchiol does not exist on its own in nature. To make it, the seeds are extracted with solvents and then purified in a lab until a single compound is left. Everything else the seed contains is removed along the way.
We chose to keep the seed whole. Bakuchi seed oil carries its bakuchiol the way the plant made it: already dissolved in the seed's own oil, alongside flavonoids, fatty acids and other plant compounds that are lost in purification. Bakuchiol dissolves in oil, so a face oil is its natural home, with no water, emulsifiers or extra processing needed to hold it.
- Whole seed, not an isolate: bakuchiol together with the seed's other plant compounds, as nature combined them
- A natural carrier: an oil-soluble compound, delivered in oil
- Gently made: cold-infused over 18 days, not refined in a lab
What does the research show?
In lab studies, bakuchiol switched on a pattern of gene activity in skin cells similar to retinol's, including genes involved in collagen. In a 2019 randomised, double-blind study of 44 adults, a 0.5% bakuchiol cream used twice a day and a 0.5% retinol cream used once a day both reduced the look of wrinkles and pigmentation over 12 weeks, and the bakuchiol group reported less scaling and stinging.
Those results come from purified bakuchiol at a set strength. They cannot simply be applied to a product made with the whole seed oil, so be cautious of any brand that says its bakuchi oil works just like retinol. We do not make that claim.
For a fuller guide to choosing a gentle retinol alternative, read Retinol Alternatives for Sensitive Skin: An Honest Guide to Bakuchi in our Journal.
Bakuchi seed oil vs bakuchiol
| Bakuchi seed oil | Bakuchiol | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The whole oil from the seeds | A single compound, solvent-extracted and purified in a lab |
| On the ingredient list | Psoralea Corylifolia Seed Oil | Bakuchiol (must be more than 80% pure to use this name) |
| Contains | Bakuchiol, plus the seed's natural fatty acids and flavonoids such as bavachin, bavachinin and isobavachalcone | Mostly bakuchiol, at a known concentration |
How we use it
Bakuchi seed oil is a key botanical in Bio Retinol Elixir, our day face oil, alongside rosehip, squalane and gotu kola. The formula goes through an 18-day cold infusion so the botanicals are drawn out slowly, without heat. It contains no retinol, no water and no synthetic fragrance.
Use 6 drops each morning on clean skin, pressed in gently, then follow with SPF.
Frequently asked questions
Is bakuchi the same as bakuchiol?
No. Bakuchi is the plant. Bakuchi seed oil is the whole oil from its seeds, and bakuchiol is one purified compound found in that oil.
Is bakuchi seed oil a retinoid?
No. Neither bakuchi seed oil nor bakuchiol is related to vitamin A. Bakuchiol is studied as an alternative because it affects skin cells in a similar way in lab research.
Can I use bakuchi seed oil in the morning?
Yes. Follow with a broad-spectrum sunscreen during the day, as you should with any routine aimed at smoother, more even-looking skin.
Can I use it with retinol?
Some people do. If your skin is sensitive, introduce one product at a time so you know what your skin is reacting to.
Which Sapphire Botanics product contains bakuchi seed oil?
Bio Retinol Elixir, our day face oil. It is also included in the Discovery Set and Power Couple.
Sources
- Dhaliwal S, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;180(2):289-296.
- Chaudhuri RK, Bojanowski K. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2014;36(3):221-230.
- Cosmetics & Toiletries. Bakuchiol quality, purity and furocoumarin limits.