Is Bakuchiol safe in cosmetics?
Bakuchiol has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Bakuchiol
Also known as: 4-[(1E,3S)-3-ethenyl-3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-1-yl]phenol, Phenol, 4-(3-ethenyl-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadienyl)-, (S-(E))-, 4-(3-Ethenyl-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadienyl)phenol
INCI: BAKUCHIOL
Bakuchiol (CAS 10309-37-2) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as Retinol functional analog (non-retinoid); promotes epidermal keratinocyte. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 10309-37-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Retinol functional analog (non-retinoid); promotes epidermal keratinocyte turnover and melanin dispersal; modest tyrosinase inhibitor; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; acts on retinoid receptors without being a retinoid molecule
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
No FDA restrictions. Not a retinoid and not subject to OTC drug classification for retinoids. No concentration restrictions. Safety supported by botanical extract precedent and growing clinical trial database.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Bakuchiol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Bakuchiol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
10-18%
Penetration Level
epidermis
Penetration Depth
epidermis
Molecular Weight
256.4 Da
Log P
5.3
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
6-14%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: Int J Cosmet Sci 2014
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
2 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LD50 | =2560 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1 - 10 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.5–1 | 2 | Industry |
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
acne
{"cas_number": "10309-37-2", "anti_acne_mechanism": "anti_inflammatory/antibacterial/sebum_regulation", "comedogenicity_rating_0_to_5": "0", "acne_type_efficacy": "inflammatory/non_inflammatory", "p_acnes_mic_ug_per_ml": ">1000 (mild antibacterial)", "sebum_reduction_pct_clinical": "15-20", "keratolytic_strength": "mild", "exfoliation_mechanism": "chemical", "optimal_ph_for_efficacy": "5.0-7.0", "…
anti_aging
{"anti_aging_claim": "anti-wrinkle, firming, brightening, collagen-boosting, antioxidant-protection", "mechanism_of_action": "Retinol-like gene expression, stimulates collagen I,III,IV, antioxidant, less irritation", "target_skin_layer": "epidermis, dermis", "collagen_stimulation": "Yes - comparable to retinol", "elastin_protection": "Yes", "wrinkle_reduction_pct": "15-25", "clinical_study_duratio…
anti_pollution
{"cas_number": "10309-37-2", "ingredient_class": "digital_aging_defense/antioxidant_pollution_shield", "primary_mechanism": "free_radical_scavenging", "pollution_types_targeted": "PM2_5/ozone/UV_A/oxidative_stress", "IR_A_protection": "no", "visible_light_protection": "no", "digital_screen_protection_claim": "no", "PAH_neutralization": "no", "ozone_protection": "yes", "lipid_peroxidation_inhibitio…
antioxidant
{"cas_number": "10309-37-2", "antioxidant_class": "polyphenol", "chemical_subclass": "meroterpene phenol", "molecular_weight_daltons": "256.38", "orac_value_umol_te_per_g": "12800", "dpph_radical_scavenging_ic50_ug_per_ml": "16-26", "abts_trolox_equivalent": "0.95", "singlet_oxygen_quenching": "high", "superoxide_dismutase_mimetic": "moderate", "hydroxyl_radical_scavenging": "high", "lipid_peroxid…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "0", "irritancy_rating": "1", "skin_type_suitability": "all,oily,sensitive,combination,normal,acne-prone,mature", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "Natural retinol alternative"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.5", "max_concentration_pct": "1.5", "typical_concentration_pct": "1.0", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Anti-aging", "source": "Clinical literature"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "premium", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "180", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "350", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "240", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "420", "supply_chain_volatility": "medium", "primary_source_region": "India/China", "synthetic_vs_natural_cost_ratio": "2.5", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "10", "seasonal_price_variation": "medium", "commodity_or_specialty"…
depigmentation
{"cas_number": "10309-37-2", "ingredient_class": "combined_mechanism", "primary_mechanism_of_action": "Natural retinoid alternative from Psoralea corylifolia; no photosensitivity", "secondary_mechanisms": "Variable", "molecular_target": "other", "tyrosinase_inhibition_IC50_uM": "varies", "tyrosinase_inhibition_type": "competitive", "melanin_reduction_pct_in_vitro": "25-45", "melanin_reduction_pct_…
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Bakuchiol.
Regulatory Flags
brightening
pih
anti-aging
retinol-functional-analog
non-retinoid
tyrosinase-inhibitor-moderate
keratinocyte-turnover
melanin-dispersal
no-photosensitization
pregnancy-compatible
not-subject-to-eu-2024-996
2024-systematic-review-15-trials
fitzpatrick-iv-vi-safe
eu-allowed
us-allowed
combine-with-primary-inhibitor
Known Synonyms
4-[(1E,3S)-3-ethenyl-3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-1-yl]phenol
Phenol, 4-(3-ethenyl-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadienyl)-, (S-(E))-
4-(3-Ethenyl-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadienyl)phenol
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
BAKUCHIOL
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL262344
Max Phase
1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bakuchiol allowed in the EU?
Bakuchiol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Bakuchiol do in cosmetics?
Bakuchiol functions as: Retinol functional analog (non-retinoid); promotes epidermal keratinocyte turnover and melanin dispersal; modest tyrosinase inhibitor; antioxidant; anti-inflammatory; acts on retinoid receptors without being a retinoid molecule. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 10309-37-2.
Is Bakuchiol used outside cosmetics?
Bakuchiol also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Bakuchiol compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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