Bakuchiol
Active (retinol alternative) · INCI: Bakuchiol
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Bakuchiol comedogenic?
No. Bakuchiol isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived active taken from the seeds of the babchi plant, used in serums and creams as an alternative to retinol for smoothing and evening skin. It is not a vitamin A derivative despite the comparison. We read bakuchiol as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
It dissolves in oil, so it comes in a face oil or in the oil part of a cream or serum. The oils around it are listed separately, and they decide far more about a product than the small amount of bakuchiol does.
Where it shows up
Face oils and oil-based serums sold as retinol alternatives, night creams, eye creams and products positioned for sensitive skin are where it turns up most.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.