By now (and especially if you read this skincare blog), you would probably know the benefits of using retinol skincare. It builds collagen and increases cell turnover, paving the way for smoother, brighter and younger looking skin. However, it is an active ingredient that comes with its own issues too. Dryness, redness, hypersensitivity, burns and retinoid dermatitis can pose a challenge to embarking on retinoids to address hyperpigmentation, dull skin and fine lines, especially if you have sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema. And if you are pregnant, retinol use is not advised.

 

Related blogposts:

Pregnancy Skincare Guide: What’s Safe and What to Avoid

How to Lighten Hyperpigmentation with Skincare

How to Get Rid of Neck Lines and Wrinkles

Eczema: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments Explained

 

So what does one do if you want to obtain smoother and younger looking skin without retinols? Here’s your guide to understanding retinol alternatives to get started on; and a deep dive on the science and date behind them.

   

Is Bakuchiol truly nature’s answer to retinols?

   

1. Bakuchiol

Perhaps the most well known of retinol alternatives is Bakuchiol. Fans of the green skincare ingredients will also know of bakuchiol as “phyto-retinol” or “plant retinol”.

 

Bakuchiol is an ingredient derived from the seeds of the babchi plant (Psoralea corylifolia), which is found in Sri Lanka and India. Bakuchiol has some anti-aging benefits to the skin and because of this, it has been dubbed as a natural alternative to retinol. Although Bakuchiol may seem to be the new kid on the beauty block that’s got everyone excited, Bakuchiol has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine.

 

How does Bakuchiol work?

Bakuchiol seems to behave similarly to retinol on the skin by targeting similar cellular pathways¹. The collagen boosting pathways in the skin targeted by Bakuchiol are also similar to the ones that retinols act on¹. By increasing cell turnover and increasing collagen levels in the skin¹, Bakuchiol gives the same benefits of retinol to the skin, making Bakuchiol a promising ingredient in the skincare game for treating signs of aging and acne.

 

Additionally, Bakuchiol has antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory benefits^2,3, so it reduces the redness and irritation (aka the retinoid reaction) with retinoid use⁴.

 

How does Bakuchiol compare against retinoids?

One study published in the British Journal of Dermatology compared 44 human subjects applied 0.05% Bakuchiol cream twice a day or 0.05 retinol once a day. Both groups of patients saw an improvement in their pigmentation and wrinkles to a similar extent⁴. The group of patients on Bakuchiol experienced less side effects such as stinging and flaking⁴. This study, published in 2019, sparked an interest in Bakuchiol as a “natural” alternative to retinoids; especially among clean beauty enthusiasts. However, one glaring issue here is that Bakuchiol was applied twice a day while the participants on retinol had it applied only once a day. Since the daily dose of Bakuchiol was twice the amount of retinol in participants; we can’t say that Bakuchiol is as effective as retinol. Perhaps the only valid takeaway is that Bakuchiol causes less irritation and side effects as retinol.

 

To learn even more about bakuchiol and read my review of a Bakuchiol skincare product (Biossance’s Squalene + Phyto Retinol serum), please read Is Bakuchiol an Effective Retinol Alternative?

 

 

2. Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil is a botanical extract that is often referred to as “natural retinol”. Rich in antioxidants and fatty oils, rosehip oil is also popular among pregnant mothers for its supposed benefits in reducing stretch marks.

 

Related blogpost:

Pregnancy Skincare Guide: What’s Safe & What to Avoid

 

What is rosehip oil?

Rosehip oil is derived from the pseudofruit and seed of rose bushes⁵, as opposed to rose oil which is obtained from the petals of the rose plant. The oil is extracted from the rosehip through methods such as cold pressing, supercritical extraction, and solvent extraction.

 

Rosehip oil has been used in traditional medicine to treat infections and inflammatory conditions such as urinary tract infections⁵. The benefits of rosehip oil are attributed to the presence of vitamin C, carotenoids and antioxidants⁶.

 

How does rosehip oil work?

Rosehip oil is rich in beneficial fatty acids that maintain the epidermal integrity of the skin such as linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid and oleic acid^5-7. The abundance of these essential lipids (both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) make rosehip oil useful in moisturising the skin and strengthening the skin barrier.

 

Pertaining specifically to rosehip oil’s retinoid like effects- rosehip does contain a small amount of retinoic acid (tretinoin)! This may account for the skin smoothening and wrinkle reduction benefits that some may experience when using rosehip oil. However, depending on the method of extraction (ie. coldpress or solvent extraction); the amount of tretinoin in rosehip oil can vary from 0.375mg to 0.051mg per litre respectively⁸.

 

Carotenoids; which are the precursor to vitamin A, are also abundant in rosehip oil9. The most abundant carotenoids in rosehip oil are lycopenes and B-carotene⁹. Carotenoids are plant pigments, which provide the array of colours- yellow, orange, and red- to fruits and vegetables. When consumed, carotenoids undergo conversion to form vitamin A in our intestines¹⁰. Can this same conversion of carotenoids to retinoids occur when rosehip oil is applied to our skin? Although, one study conducted on mice skin and extracted human skin showed that this bioconversion is possible; the answer remains controversial as the presence of the enzyme required for this conversion in the skin is unclear¹¹.

 

The other question you might be asking is- are there benefits to applying carotenoids to the skin? Most of our understanding of the benefits of carotenoids is based on oral consumption of carotenoids. These same benefits may not be extrapolated to topical application on the skin. Some studies suggest that using carotenoids on the skin may confer some antioxidant benefits to the skin; and may help in lightening hyperpigmentation^12,13.

 

Related blogposts:

Hyperpigmentation Disorders: Causes, Types, Treatment

How to Lighten Hyperpigmentation with Skincare

 

How does rosehip oil compare against retinoids?

While there are currently no published studies that compare rosehip oil against retinoids; we can draw a few conclusions based on the above summary of the understanding of extraction and components of rosehip oils.

 

Firstly, using rosehip oil can confer retinol-like benefits; because it contains a small amount of retinoic acid! Rosehip oil also carotenoids; which may also get converted to retinol when applied to the skin. The presence of essential fatty acids and other antioxidants in rosehip oil; fight free radical damage and nourish the skin barrier. This helps to reduce the risk of retinoid dermatitis and may be more suitable for sensitive skin types who are unable to tolerate retinol.

 

The downside of using rosehip oil is that the chemical composition of these oils are inconsistent. Depending on the source of rosehip oil and method of extraction; the amount of retinoic acid and carotenoids can differ greatly across different products; as compared to retinol products that have known concentrations. This uncertainty in the concentration of retinoids in rosehip oil can make it challenging to know whether it will be effective in achieving anti-aging effects.

   

 

3. peptides

 

Peptides have been hailed as the new retinol alternative with Botox like effects. Peptides or amino acids have been said to boost the skin’s collagen reserves and soften wrinkles; much like retinol. But this wonder ingredient comes with a few caveats…

 

What are peptides in skincare?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids, which form the building block for proteins. When many peptides are joint together, they form proteins like collagen in the skin.

 

There are 20 different types of amino acids in the human body. Different combinations and permutations of amino acids create different types of peptides with different biological functions.

 

 

How do peptides in skincare work?

With so many permutations of peptides out there, it’s more helpful to recognise the 4 main functions of peptides for an overview:

• Signal peptides-the most commonly used of all peptides in skincare. Signal peptides increase collagen levels in the skin by signalling to the collagen producing cells to build collagen synthesis through different biochemical pathways.

• Carrier Peptides– the second most commonly used of peptides in cosmetics. Carrier peptides stabilise and deliver copper ions to enzymes in the skin for wound healing and collagen synthesis.

• Neurotransmitter inhibiting peptides -these peptides were developed to mimic the action of Botulinum toxin. Neurotransmitter inhibiting peptides block the release of a chemical called acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction to inhibit muscle contraction and relaxation.

• Enzyme inhibitor peptides– These block the activity of enzymes that disintegrate protein structures in the skin like collagen. In doing so, enzyme inhibitor proteins delay collagen loss in the skin.

 

WHAT’S THE CATCH WITH ON PEPTIDES IN SKINCARE?

The main weakness of peptide skincare is its poor absorption across the skin. For peptides to bring about their collagen building benefits, they must first pass through the epidermis and basement membrane to reach the collagen building cells in the dermis. This represents a challenge to peptides because of their large molecular weight and low lipophilicity.

 

Most of the benefits for peptide skincare have been limited to in-vitro studies using silicone replicas on the skin. Several cosmeceutical companies have sponsored clinical trials on peptide skincare. However large, double blinded, randomised controlled trials would be required to validate these benefits.

 

     

Conclusion on retinol alternatives

If you’re unable to use retinols and are looking for retinol alternatives, I hope that this blogpost was useful in helping you understand your options. Essentially, these retinol alternatives are not retinol (except for rosehip oil) and each of them has their caveats. If you’d like to get started on retinols for younger looking and acne free skin- this guide Retinol Explained Simply will get you started. My review of popular and affordable retinol serums in Retinol Serums & Creams Review 2023 will share my recommendations and duds.

 

References:

1. Bakuchiol: a retinol-like functional compound revealed by gene expression profiling and clinically proven to have anti-aging effects. Chaudhuri and Bojanowski. Int J Cosmet Sci 2014; 36: 221-30.

2. Bakuchiol Is a Phenolic Isoprenoid with Novel Enantiomer-selective Anti-influenza A Virus Activity Involving Nrf2 Activation. Shoji et al. J Biol Chem 2015; 290: 28001-17.

3. Role of nrf2 in oxidative stress and toxicity. Ma. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2013; 53: 401-26.

4. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. Dhaliwal et al. Br J Dermatol. 2019 Feb;180(2):289-296.

5. A systematic review on the Rosa canina effect and efficacy profiles. Chrubasik et al. Phytother Res. 2008 Jun;22(6):725-33.

6. Characterization of Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Seed and Seed Oil. Ilyasoglu. International Journal of Food Properties. 2014 Mar; 17(7): 1591-1598.

7. Essential fatty acids and the skin. Berbis et al.Allerg Immunol (Paris). 1990 Jun;22(6):225-31.

8. Effect of rosehip extraction process on oil and defatted meal physicochemical properties. Concha et al. J Amer Oil Chem Soc. 2006; 83: 771–775.

9. Phase equilibrium engineering of the extraction of oils from seeds using carbon dioxide + propane solvent mixtures. Hegel et al. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids. 2007 Oct; 42(3): 318-324

10. Vitamin A and Provitamin A Carotenoids. Blaner. In: Marriott BP, Birt DF, Stallings VA, Yates AA, eds. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. 11th ed. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Wiley-Blackwell; 2020:73-91.

11. Topical beta-carotene is converted to retinyl esters in human skin ex vivo and mouse skin in vivo. Antille et al. Exp Dermatol. 2004 Sep;13(9):558-61.

12. Efficacy of beta-carotene topical application in melasma: an open clinical trial. Kar. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2002 Nov-Dec;68(6):320-2.

13. Topical beta-carotene protects against infra-red-light-induced free radicals. Darvin et al. Exp Dermatol. 2011 Feb;20(2):125-9.

14. Topical peptides as cosmeceuticals. PaiIndian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2017 Jan-Feb;83(1):9-18. et al.