A GENTLE APPROACH
Skin too sensitive for retinol? Well, there’s a new, natural, anti-ageing alternative on the beauty block: bakuchiol. This botanical ingredient is derived from the seeds of the Indian babchi plant, and stacked up well against retinol in a recent study published in the British Journal Of Dermatology. During the study, volunteers applied either bakuchiol 0.5% cream twice daily or retinol 0.5% cream daily for 12 weeks. Both were found to significantly decrease wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, but the retinol users reported more skin scaling and stinging. Bakuchiol is also commonly used in ayurvedic medicine to help heal and soothe skin, thanks to its proven antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Get your fix in Beauty Kitchen Abyssininan Oil Night Halo Potent Sleep Mask (£19.99, 60ml).