Best Bakuchiol Serum: 4 Retinol Alternatives Compared by Label

The best bakuchiol serum for most people is Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides, a short, fragrance-free oil serum that states 1.25% bakuchiol. EQQUALBERRY Bakuchiol Plumping Serum is the budget pick and lists 0.5% bakuchiol, the strength used in the best-known trial. Paula's Choice CLINICAL 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment is the pick if your skin already handles retinol, and Eminence Organic Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer suits people who want bakuchiol in a cream.

Before you buy, you can scan a serum's barcode or photograph its label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type and see where bakuchiol sits on the list. Pori reads labels; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides ($58 for 30 ml, Dermstore): 1.25% bakuchiol in a nine-ingredient oil serum with no fragrance listed.
• Best budget: EQQUALBERRY Bakuchiol Plumping Serum ($25 for 1.01 oz, Target): 0.5% bakuchiol, the same strength as the 2019 trial, though it contains essential oils.
• Best with retinol: Paula's Choice CLINICAL 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment ($65 for 1 fl oz, Dermstore): both actives at stated strengths, for skin that already tolerates retinol.
• Best bakuchiol moisturizer: Eminence Organic Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer ($75 for 2 fl oz, Dermstore): bakuchiol and niacinamide in one cream step.
• Best if you can use retinol after all: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum ($16.49 for 1 fl oz, Target): a fragrance-free retinol with far more research behind the ingredient.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are US list prices as of November 2026, with the retailer named, and they change often. If you are still deciding whether bakuchiol is worth it at all, our guide to bakuchiol vs retinol walks through the evidence in detail.

How do the best bakuchiol serums compare?

Does bakuchiol actually work?

There is real but thin evidence that it helps with fine lines and uneven tone. Most brands lean on one study: a 2019 randomized, double-blind trial by Dhaliwal and colleagues in the British Journal of Dermatology. Forty-four adults used either 0.5% bakuchiol cream twice a day or 0.5% retinol cream once a day for 12 weeks. Both groups saw fewer wrinkles and less hyperpigmentation, with no statistically significant difference between them, and the retinol group reported more scaling and stinging.

That result is promising, and it is also small. Keep these limits in mind when a label says "clinically proven":

• No placebo group. Both groups improved, and there was no untreated group to show how much came from simply moisturizing and using sunscreen.
• Different dosing. Bakuchiol went on twice daily and retinol once daily, so it was not a dose-for-dose match.
• One formula, 12 weeks. The trial says nothing about other bakuchiol products, higher strengths or longer use.

The other study brands cite, a 2014 paper by Chaudhuri and Bojanowski, found that bakuchiol switched on many of the same genes as retinol in lab skin models. Its clinical part was a case study with no comparison group. Bakuchiol is not a retinoid and does not turn into retinoic acid, so "plant retinol" is a nickname. None of the products below has published its own trial, so a stated percentage near 0.5% is the closest link you can get to the research.

Which bakuchiol serums are best?

Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides: best overall

This is the cleanest label in the group. Dermstore's product page lists nine ingredients: caprylic/capric triglyceride, bakuchiol, sunflower and sacha inchi oils, centella asiatica leaf extract, rhatany root extract, tocopherol, olive fruit oil and undecylenoyl phenylalanine, which Medik8 markets as a brightening "peptide precursor." Bakuchiol is stated at 1.25%, and no fragrance appears on the list. Dermstore lists 30 ml at $58, and Medik8 suggests six drops morning and evening.

Who it suits: people who found retinol too irritating, dry or normal skin, and anyone who wants a short ingredient list. Who should skip it: very oily or acne-prone skin that does poorly with oils. The catch: "peptides" in the name refers to that precursor ingredient, not a classic peptide blend, and the 1.25% strength is higher than anything tested head to head with retinol. The packaging says it is suitable during pregnancy, but bakuchiol has not been studied in pregnancy, so ask your obstetrician first.

EQQUALBERRY Bakuchiol Plumping Serum: best budget

This Korean serum is unusual because it states its dose. Target's listing shows bakuchiol at 5,000 ppm, which is 0.5%, eleventh on the list after water, glycerin and niacinamide. The rest of the long formula adds ceramide NP, panthenol, squalane and 13 named peptides. Target sells 1.01 oz for $25.

Who it suits: normal skin on a budget that wants a bakuchiol strength matching the published trial. Who should skip it: sensitive or fragrance-allergic skin. The catch: Target calls it unscented, yet the ingredient list includes lavender oil, bergamot oil, sage oil, limonene and linalool, and some reviewers mention a smell. That undercuts the main reason many people choose bakuchiol, which is gentleness. Our guide to fragrance and essential oils explains why that matters.

Paula's Choice CLINICAL 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment: best with retinol

This one combines both ingredients and names both strengths. Dermstore's listing shows bakuchiol sixth on the list, plus retinol, a stable vitamin C (tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate), ceramide NG, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and soothing dipotassium glycyrrhizate. No fragrance is listed. It costs $65 for 1 fl oz, and the directions say to start three times a week, build up to nightly, and wear SPF 30 or higher by day.

Who it suits: people who already use a retinol and want a stronger, well-buffered night treatment. Who should skip it: anyone pregnant or trying to conceive, and anyone choosing bakuchiol specifically to avoid retinoids. The catch: there is no good trial showing that bakuchiol plus retinol beats retinol alone, so most of the effect here likely comes from the 0.3% retinol.

Eminence Organic Bakuchiol + Niacinamide Moisturizer: best bakuchiol moisturizer

If you would rather not add a serum step, this cream puts bakuchiol into your moisturizer. Dermstore's product page lists bakuchiol, niacinamide, panthenol and vitamin E among more than 80 ingredients, many of them plant extracts. It costs $75 for 2 fl oz and goes on morning and night over the face and neck.

Who it suits: normal to dry skin that likes a single, rich step and does not react to botanicals. Who should skip it: sensitive skin and fragrance allergies. The catch: the list includes "natural fragrance," no bakuchiol percentage is given, and it is the most expensive pick per step.

If you can use retinol: CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum

Bakuchiol makes most sense when retinoids are off the table. If your skin can handle retinol, it is the ingredient with decades of studies behind it, and the American Academy of Dermatology describes retinol as an over-the-counter retinoid used to improve uneven tone, pigmentation and texture. CeraVe's fragrance-free Resurfacing Retinol Serum costs $16.49 at Target. Our full review and retinol for beginners guide explain how to start slowly.

Is bakuchiol safe during pregnancy?

Nobody knows for sure, because it has not been studied in pregnancy. Neither main trial enrolled pregnant people. What is clear is the case against retinoids: the AAD's page on acne treatment during pregnancy says retinoids should not be used while pregnant. When a bakuchiol product is labeled pregnancy-safe, that claim rests on an absence of known harm. Ask your obstetrician or dermatologist before you start, and see our pregnancy-safe skincare routine for options with more data. The Paula's Choice pick contains retinol, so leave it out entirely.

How do you use a bakuchiol serum?

Apply a few drops after cleansing, once or twice a day, then follow with moisturizer and, in the morning, sunscreen. In the 2019 trial bakuchiol was used twice daily, and it does not carry the night-only advice that retinoids do. A few practical tips:

• Give it 12 weeks. That is how long the trial ran. Take photos in the same light at the start so you can compare fairly.
• Patch test first. Plant-derived does not mean reaction-free, especially in formulas with essential oils. Our patch test guide shows how.
• Keep sunscreen daily. Sun protection does more for photoaging than any serum.
• Do not expect acne results. The studies looked at aging, not breakouts.

How we chose

We looked for bakuchiol products sold at full size by US retailers, with published ingredient lists, and gave extra credit to brands that state the bakuchiol percentage. We weighed how close that strength sits to the 0.5% used in the 2019 trial, what else is in the formula, whether fragrance or essential oils are present, and price per milliliter. We read each listing and checked prices on the named retailer in November 2026. We did not wear-test any product. We left out products whose US price or ingredient list we could not confirm. Our evidence summary comes from the 2019 trial and the 2014 gene-expression study. If fine lines, dark spots or texture are bothering you more than a serum can fix, a board-certified dermatologist can talk you through prescription options.