Can a serum combining bakuchiol (BK) and vanilla tahitensis extract (VTE) prevent skin photoaging in vitro and improve clinical outcomes for naturally aged skin?
Bakuchiol Retinol-Alternative Cream, a clinical trial in 43 women (Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2020, PMID 32494181) — in the clinical trial, face ptosis was reduced by 11% (up to 23%) in 26 subjects, skin deformation depth was reduced by 24% (up to 30%) in 30 subjects, and radiance improved by 29% in 33 subjects. The clinical trial was open-label, which may introduce bias.
Source: Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2020, PMID 32494181 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: high
Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol · 2020 · PMID 32494181 · DOI 10.2147/CCID.S235880
A serum with bakuchiol and vanilla tahitensis extract reduced signs of skin aging in lab tests and improved firmness and radiance in women.
The question
Can a serum combining bakuchiol (BK) and vanilla tahitensis extract (VTE) prevent skin photoaging in vitro and improve clinical outcomes for naturally aged skin?
What they tested
A combination of bakuchiol and vanilla tahitensis extract will have beneficial effects in preventing skin photoaging and improving clinical outcomes for naturally aged skin.
How they did it
In vitro, human dermal fibroblasts were treated with active compounds, exposed to UVA, and analyzed for actin network morphology, IL-8 (inflammation), and p16 (senescence). Human skin explants were used to evaluate chronic UVA-induced GAG loss and the effect of topical BK+VTE serum. An open-label clinical trial involved 43 women applying the serum twice daily for 56 days, assessing skin remodeling (FaceScan), firmness (Dynaskin and clinical scoring), and radiance (photographs).
What they found
UVA exposure increased IL-8 and p16 expression and altered fibroblast morphology. BK or VTE alone prevented actin network alteration and IL-8 upregulation. The BK+VTE combination showed synergistic protection against IL-8 and p16 overexpression. Serum application prevented GAG loss at the dermo-epidermal junction and increased dermal GAG in UVA-exposed skin explants. In the clinical trial, face ptosis was reduced by 11% (up to 23%) in 26 subjects, skin deformation depth was reduced by 24% (up to 30%) in 30 subjects, and radiance improved by 29% in 33 subjects. The serum was well-tolerated.
| Face Ptosis Reduction | 11 | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin Deformation Depth Reduction | 24 | |
| Skin Radiance Improvement | 29 |
Average percentage improvements observed in responsive subjects after 56 days of applying the bakuchiol and vanilla tahitensis extract serum.
What it means
The BK+VTE combination demonstrated anti-aging efficacy, potentially offering significant benefits for naturally aged skin in women due to synergistic effects on inflammaging and senescence.
Limitations
The clinical trial was open-label, which may introduce bias. The study focused on naturally aged skin in women, limiting generalizability to other populations or skin types.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Efficacy of a Serum Combining Bakuchiol and Vanilla Tahitensis Extract to Prevent Skin Photoaging |
|---|---|
| Journal | Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol |
| Year | 2020 |
| PMID | 32494181 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.2147/CCID.S235880 ↗ |
| Topic | Skin, hair & photoaging |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
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Bakuchiol Retinol-Alternative Cream
A 12-week randomized, double-blind trial found topical bakuchiol comparable to retinol for reducing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while causing less scaling and stinging, and additional clinical and laboratory studies report benefits for photoaging, acne, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Bakuchiol is a meroterpene phenol extracted from the seeds and leaves of the plant Psoralea corylifolia…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can a serum combining bakuchiol (BK) and vanilla tahitensis extract (VTE) prevent skin photoaging in vitro and improve clinical outcomes for naturally aged skin? [Plain-English summary of Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2020, PMID 32494181, DOI 10.2147/CCID.S235880]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d32494181.html@misc{magellan_d32494181,
title = {Can a serum combining bakuchiol (BK) and vanilla tahitensis extract (VTE) prevent skin photoaging in vitro and improve clinical outcomes for naturally aged skin?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d32494181.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 32494181; DOI 10.2147/CCID.S235880; Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2020. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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