If you’re at all interested in skin-care products that minimize fine lines,
fight acne breakouts
, and tackle hyperpigmentation, then you’ve surely heard about the wonders of retinol. In short, it’s one of the most effective ingredients on the market for ensuring that your skin is even and glowy, and it’s available in
over-the-counter formulations
as well as dermatologist-prescribed topicals. But lately, brands have been touting natural, plant-derived, or vegan (meaning no animal-derived ingredients) retinol in their products, especially the oh-so-fun-to-pronounce bakuchiol (bah-koo-chee-all).
So what’s the deal with this new kid on the beauty block? Is it as effective as the various other retinoids we know and love? We decided to consult three experts to learn whether or not we need to overhaul our skin-care routines:
Dr. Morgan Rabach
, a board-certified dermatologist and co-founder of LM Medical;
Dr. Joshua Zeicher
, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York; and
Michelle Wong
, a Sydney-based science educator with a PhD in chemistry and a serious love for all things beauty. Here’s what they had to say.
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[Listicle particle error: Unhandled HTML element 'big' in post 2650787505 (context: Element not in supported or skip lists) Element HTML: Do they differ in their shelf life and how stable they are?]