Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum
The plant retinol alternative with a human trial behind it, in a face oil.
Bakuchiol in organic jojoba, rosehip, evening primrose and berry seed oils. It isn't a retinoid, so there's no adjustment period. Press a few drops in as the last step of your evening routine.
Bakuchiol, the plant retinol alternative, in a blend of six organic plant oils: jojoba, evening primrose, rosehip, strawberry seed, raspberry seed and blueberry seed. Vitamin E keeps the oils fresh. 99% natural origin, 61% organic origin.
After cleansing and your moisturiser, warm two or three drops between your fingertips and press them over face and neck. Best as the last step in the evening. No build-up period. If you use it in the morning, follow with SPF.
A silky face oil that sinks in without a heavy film. Elegant rose scent with deep spicy and woody warmth. Contains Parfum and geranium flower oil; Geraniol, Citronellol and Linalool are declared on the label, all from natural essential oils. Not a fragrance-free product.
Ships from the EU in 2–4 working days, then usually 7–14 working days to arrive. Mainland addresses only. Free over €75 and on every subscription order. Times and prices by country are on our Shipping page.
The 60-Day Promise applies to your first order, conditions apply. Your 14-day right of withdrawal and 2-year legal guarantee come first.
Retinol works. Your skin has to agree.
Retinol has decades of evidence behind it. For many people it also brings flaking, tightness and stinging in the first weeks, and a routine built around slow starts and nights off. Plenty of people stop before it has had time to work.
Bakuchiol isn't vitamin A, so there's no schedule to build up to. It is also the plant alternative with the strongest human evidence: a 12-week trial that compared it directly with retinol. That trial was small, and we explain it in full below.
What's in the bottle.
This formula doesn't have consumer-perception testing yet, so instead of results we show you exactly what it's made of and how it's certified. The human trial behind bakuchiol comes further down.
Origin percentages are calculated to the COSMOS standard. The trial figures describe a published study of a 0.5% bakuchiol cream, not this oil. We've asked for the bakuchiol percentage in our formula and will print it here when we have it.
Bakuchiol
From babchi seeds · Psoralea corylifolia
A single purified compound from the seeds of the babchi plant, used for centuries in Ayurvedic practice. It looks nothing like retinol chemically, yet in lab studies it switched on a very similar set of skin genes.
What sets it apart from other plant alternatives is that it has been tested on faces against retinol itself. The result was encouraging and the study was small, so we give you both halves below.
What a 2019 trial measured
Dhaliwal et al., 2019, British Journal of Dermatology. 44 adults, randomised and double-blind, 12 weeks. The difference between the groups wasn't statistically significant. It tested a 0.5% bakuchiol cream, and our oil's bakuchiol percentage hasn't been disclosed to us yet, so we can't say ours matches.
How it differs from a retinol serum.
Describes ingredient type, evidence and usage guidance. It isn't a head-to-head test of this oil against a named retinol product.
What studies show about each ingredient.
These studies test an ingredient at a set concentration, usually in a different product. They explain why each ingredient is in this oil. They are not results for this oil.
Bakuchiol vs retinol
44 adults applied 0.5% bakuchiol cream twice a day or 0.5% retinol cream once a day for 12 weeks, randomised and double-blind.
Both groups had less wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistically significant difference. The retinol group reported more scaling and stinging.
It was small, some people dropped out, and it tested a cream at 0.5%. Our percentage isn't disclosed yet.
Bakuchiol, how it works
Gene activity in lab skin models treated with bakuchiol or retinol, plus a small 12-week study of a 0.5% bakuchiol product on faces.
Bakuchiol and retinol switched on strikingly similar genes, including collagen genes. The face study reported fewer visible lines.
The face study had no comparison group, and the lead author runs a company that sells bakuchiol.
Rosehip oil
A review of the research on plant oils applied to skin, rosehip among them.
Rosehip oil showed antioxidant and skin-barrier supporting properties across the studies reviewed.
It's a review of small studies, not a trial of our oil.
Jojoba oil
A review of the research on jojoba in dermatology.
Jojoba's liquid wax showed anti-inflammatory activity and is widely used for dry and ageing skin.
It's a review, so count it as supporting evidence.
Evening primrose oil
An updated review of sweet almond, evening primrose and jojoba oils in skin care.
Evening primrose oil is rich in linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid, fatty acids the skin barrier uses.
Much of its evidence comes from taking it by mouth. Topical evidence is limited.
Berry seed oils
Strawberry, raspberry and blueberry seed oils have been analysed for their fatty acids and antioxidants.
They are rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid and in vitamin E compounds.
We found no human trials of these oils on skin. They're here for feel and nourishment.
Every ingredient, printed in full.
99% natural origin, 61% organic origin. Certified COSMOS Organic by Ecocert Greenlife. Vegan, gluten free and nut free. There's no water in the formula, so it's an oil blend with vitamin E to keep the oils fresh. The bakuchiol percentage hasn't been disclosed to us yet; we'll print it here when it is.
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil➀, Decyl Cocoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil➀, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil➀, Bakuchiol, Tocopherol, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Oil➀, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Seed Oil➀, Undecane, Parfum, Tridecane, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Blueberry) Seed Oil➀, Geraniol➁, Citronellol➁, Linalool➁, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Geranyl Acetate➁
➀ from organic farming · ➁ from natural essential oils
This oil contains Parfum and rose geranium flower oil, giving it an elegant rose scent with deep spicy and woody warmth. Three fragrance allergens are declared on the label: Geraniol, Citronellol and Linalool. The label also lists Geranyl Acetate, another part of the essential oil. It is not a fragrance-free product.
Bakuchiol comes from babchi seeds. If your skin is reactive, patch test on your inner forearm once a day for five days before first use on your face.
Who it's for, and who should skip it.
Week by week.
Typical timelines for a bakuchiol face oil. They aren't a promise, and every skin is different.
The last step of your evening.
Questions, answered honestly.
The origin percentages are calculated to the COSMOS standard for our formula. The trial figures come from a published, peer-reviewed study of a 0.5% bakuchiol cream, not from this oil. This formula doesn't have consumer testing yet, and we won't show you figures we don't have.
In one 12-week trial, a 0.5% bakuchiol cream reduced wrinkle surface area and pigmentation about as much as a 0.5% retinol cream, with less scaling and stinging. That was a small study of a different product, so it's encouraging rather than conclusive. Retinol still has far more evidence overall.
That percentage hasn't been disclosed to us yet. We've asked for it and will print it on this page as soon as we have it, because we think you should know.
Skin usually feels softer and more comfortable within a week or two. The bakuchiol trial measured its results at 12 weeks, so give it that long before judging it on lines.
Use it daily for 60 days. If your skin hasn't changed the way you hoped, email us between day 60 and day 90 with your order number and a photo of the bottle, and we refund what you paid for the product. Keep the bottle; there is nothing to send back. The 60-Day Promise covers your first order only, conditions apply: up to two bottles, one claim per person, and delivery charges aren't refunded. If your skin reacts at any point, stop using it and email us: we refund you in full straight away, delivery included. This sits on top of your 14-day right of withdrawal and two-year legal guarantee.
Your oil arrives on the interval you choose, at 10% off, with free delivery. You can skip a delivery, change the interval or cancel at any time from your account or by email. There's no minimum term. Used as a few drops each evening, a 30 ml bottle lasts around three months.
It's formulated for all skin types and contains no vitamin A. Two honest caveats: it contains Parfum with three declared allergens (Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool), and any plant ingredient can disagree with reactive skin. Patch test on your inner forearm daily for five days first.
Not necessarily. Jojoba and rosehip are light, and the formula has no heavy butters. If you dislike the feel of oils, our water-based Retinol Alternative Serum may suit you better.
It's designed as the last step of your evening routine. You can use a drop or two in the morning on dry skin, followed by SPF.
It contains no vitamin A, which is the usual reason retinol is avoided. We're not your doctor, though, and we won't tell you it's pregnancy-safe. Show the ingredient list to your midwife or GP and let them decide.
Yes. Oils go last, after water-based serums and moisturiser. It pairs well with our Retinol Alternative Moisturiser. Leave a night between this and a strong acid peel.
It's made in Latvia, in the EU, under EU cosmetic regulation, and certified COSMOS Organic by Ecocert Greenlife. It is 99% natural origin and 61% organic origin, vegan, gluten free and nut free. The complete INCI is printed on this page.
Use it for 60 days. If nothing changes, we refund the product.
Skin needs time, so give it a proper test. Use it daily for 60 days. If your skin hasn't changed the way you hoped, email us between day 60 and day 90 with your order number and a photo of the bottle, and we refund what you paid for the product. Keep the bottle. There's nothing to send back.
First order only, up to two bottles, one claim per person. Delivery charges aren't refunded under the Promise. If your skin reacts at any point, stop and email us: we refund you in full straight away, delivery included, with no waiting.
Buy now · €39,99Your legal rights come first: a 14-day right of withdrawal and at least two years of legal guarantee, free of charge. This Promise is an extra on top and never replaces them. Full conditions on our 60-Day Promise page.
Read before you decide.
Cosmetic product. All claims describe the appearance of skin and are not medical claims. Made in the EU. Prices include VAT.
Safety information.
- Product
- Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum, 30 ml. Cosmetic product for external use. Code A5858.
- Placed on the EU market by
- Band of Brothers LLC, 30 N Gould St, Ste 29407, Sheridan, WY 82801, USA · info@elurelia.com
- EU Responsible Person
- SIA NORD Beauty, Baložu iela 20A, Riga, Latvia
- Batch code
- Printed on the pack, with the period after opening.
- Made in
- Latvia, EU
- For external use only.
- Avoid contact with the eyes. If it gets into them, rinse well with water.
- Stop using it if irritation occurs.
- Contains Geraniol, Citronellol and Linalool.
- Keep the bottle closed, away from heat and direct light.
- Keep out of reach of children.