Organic Bakuchiol Oil vs Synthetic – Which One Is Better for Your Skin?

While the skin care industry is raving about the innumerable benefits of organic bakuchiol oil, we’ve also got a lot of scientists creating synthetic alternatives of it in chemistry labs. Now, it won’t be entirely correct to say one is better than the other, however organic bakuchiol oil does hold certain merits.

As skin care formulators, it is quite easy to get overwhelmed with vast options available with confusing names like organic bakuchiol oil, babchi oil, lab made bakuchiol and so on so forth. 

That is why, in this article we will explores organic bakuchiol oil vs synthetic alternatives and understand which is better for your skin.

But before we delve into the differences, let’s start with the basics.

Introduction to Bakuchiol Oil

Simply put, bakuchiol oil is basically an extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, also known as babchi or bakuchi. Babchi seeds and their extracts have been prescribes in ancient Indian Science of Ayurveda for achieving young looking and flawless skin.

Bakuchiol oil contains numerous active compounds but most importantly it has a high percentage of bakuchiol which has been recognized for its ability to reduce fine lines and dark spots. Using bakuchiol oil for acne has also shown promising results with reduced breakouts, inflammation and marks.

Being a versatile carrier oil, it is easy to incorporate bakuchi oil in serums, masks, moisturizers and soap recipes.

Understanding Organic Bakuchiol Oil

Organic bakuchiol oil is a derivative of babchi seeds and doesn’t have any synthetics or chemicals involved. It is important to understand the difference between bakuchiol oil and bakuchiol compound. While both are completely natural and organic extracts, the former is a cold pressed extract and contains numerous other components along with bakuchiol. These components work in synergy with each other to form a complete natural oil for skincare.

Bakuchiol, on the other hand is extracted from babchi seeds via extraction methods like Supercritical carbondioxide or CO2 extract. This means it is cleaner and significantly more potent than the latter.

They both serve different benefits for the cosmetic industry and you can use them as per your recipe requirement.

Organic bakuchiol oil is completely plant based, free from animal products, more gentle and great for sensitive skin types.

Interested in knowing more about this botanical extract? Discover bakuchiol oil complete guide and expand your knowledge.

What Are Synthetic Bakuchiol Alternatives?

Many scientists and ingredient experts have now formulated synthetic compounds that mimic the characteristics of organic bakuchiol. These are called synthetic bakuchiol alternatives. Most common types of synthetic bakuchiol alternatives include sytenol A and Bakutrol. While their INCI name is still bakuchiol, they might have some differences in terms of extraction, impact and stability.

Synthetic bakuchiol alternatives are made by carefully studying the properties and chemical composition of bakuchiol oil. They are also then tested for degradation and stabilized so that they have a longer shelf life. Synthetic bakuchiol alternatives are used in active based cosmetics and beauty products that focus on functionality and faster results.

These are not the same as retinol though. Learn more about bakuchiol vs retinol and explore their differences.

Key Differences Between Organic and Synthetic Bakuchiol

There are numerous differences between organic and synthetic bakuchiol - most important ones being:

• Extraction process: Bakuchiol oil is obtained via cold pressing method from babchi seeds with no heat involvement. Its derivative, bakuchiol, is obtained via CO2 extraction but both extracts come from natural sources. Synthetic bakuchiol alternatives, on the other hand, are obtained by chemically synthesizing certain compounds to mimic the nature of organic bakuchiol. 

• Natural Source: While organic bakuchiol oil comes from a 100% natural plant based source, synthetic alternatives are nature identical, which means their composition is made to look like that of the organic bakuchi oil. 

• Nutrient Profile: Since organic bakuchiol oil is a plant based vegan extract with tradtional extraction, it contains a synergistic composition of compounds other than bakuchiol. These compounds support the functionality of bakuchiol to deliver more complex results. Whereas, synthetic alternatives only contain one active, that is bakuchiol. 

• Skincare Benefits: Both organic bakuchiol oil and synthetic alternatives show promising results for fine lines, wrinkles, acne, dark spots and pigmentation. The synthetic alternatives, however, might show faster results than organic bakuchi oil. 

• Stability: Due to their degradation limitation, synthetic bakuchiol alternatives are much more stable than organic bakuchiol oil.

• Skin sensitivity: Both organic and synthetic bakuchiol are mostly safe for skin, however organic bakuchiol oil might be more gentle and soothing for sensitive skin folks. Having said that, people with plant or seed allergies should pick synthetic bakuchiol over organic one.

Pros and Cons of Organic vs Synthetic Bakuchiol

Comparing organic and synthetic bakuchiol can be tough as they both have their own pros and cons. Organic bakuchiol oil is completely natural with little to no side effects. It has intense skin care benefits and improves collagen production. Using an organic and natural oil on skin is always a better idea as there are no harsh chemicals getting inside your skin and subsequently in the blood stream. Let’s not forget that pure organic bakuchiol oil doesn’t just have bakuchiol but a myriad of other beneficial compounds that create magic for your skin.

Synthetic bakuchiol alternatives are made of chemical compounds and hence expose your body to these synthetic substances. They only contain one active ingredient that targets a defined purpose.

While organic bakuchiol oil is often considered more expensive, synthetic alternatives can be procured at a fraction of the cost.

How to Choose the Best Bakuchiol Oil for Your Skin?

When it comes to choosing the best bakuchiol oil for skin, there are 6  factors you should consider.

1. Define Product Type: Start by defining whether you want to formulate natural skin care and cosmetic products or conventional ones. Organic bakuchiol oil works well in natural and organic skin care formulas whereas synthetic alternatives could be a better fit for conventional cosmetics. 

2. Compare Prices: Keeping in mind that synthetic bakuchiol alternatives are usually cheaper than organic bakuchiol oil, you should consider the price of the final product while making this decision. However, you can easily source high quality pure bakuchiol oil from a reliable wholesale essential oils supplier like Aromachology Oils at a fraction of the cost. This is because the sourcing line is direct manufacturer and not complex. 

3. Assess Skin Type: Take into account the skin type you want to target. Bakuchiol oil works much better for sensitive skin types as it more gentle and complex. 

4. Evaluate Result Time: If you are looking for fast results than synthetic alternatives might work better than bakuchiol oil. However, if you still want to stick to a natural source than you can explore bakuchiol co2 extract. 

5. Consider Blending Compatibility: It is easier to blend organic bakuchiol oil with other carrier oils like jojoba oil or flax seed oil compared to synthetic option. Skin care formulators looking to use other botanical extracts like chamomile essential oil or lavender essential oil should keep the recipe consistently natural by sticking to organic bakuchiol oil.

6. Check Recipe Restrictions: If you are following a particular bath bomb, body oil or soap making recipe, check which type of bakuchiol oil is listed there and avoid replacing them. While bakuchiol is a great essential oil for soap making, simply replacing synthetic alternatives with organic bakuchiol in soap making recipe might not be such a good idea. If you are still keen to explore this, experiment on a small soap batch.

Conclusion

Choosing the right bakuchiol oil for skin could seem like a daunting task but it is actually quite simple once you have understood the differences between different variants.

Organic bakuchiol oil is naturally derived with complex botanical compounds and gentle but effective skin loving properties.

Synthetic bakuchiol alternative are lab made compounds with only one active. They are a better fit for cheaper conventional skin care and cosmetics.

However, if you want to create natural, effective and truly skin and soul loving skin care and cosmetics, then organic bakuchiol oil is the right option for you.

FAQs

Is bakuchiol natural or synthetic?

Bakuchiol can be both natural or synthetic depending on its extraction or manufacturing process. Always check the label and description to identify if the bakuchiol is made from babchi seeds or in lab with chemicals.

What are the downsides of bakuchiol?

Since organic bakuchiol is derived from plant seeds, people with seed or plant allergies should avoid using it.

What is the difference between natural and synthetic retinol?

Natural retinol is derived from animals whereas synthetic retinol is made in labs using chemical compounds.

What is the difference between bakuchiol and bakuchi oil?

Bakuchiol is the active compound in bakuchi oil. While the two names are often used interchangeably, sometimes bakuchiol is also extracted via CO2 extraction to obtain a more potent extract.

Is natural skincare better than synthetic?

Choosing between natural skin care or synthetic is a completely personal choice. Both have their own pros and cons, in the end it is about what aligns best with your values and skin type!