Clean Beauty Spotlight: The Truth About Retinol (and Why I Don't Use It)
What I use instead, an effective natural alternative, and non-toxic swaps
If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve probably seen retinol front and center in skincare routines. As someone with sensitive skin who’s been on a non-toxic journey for years, I know retinol can be way too harsh for some people, and it doesn’t align with how I personally approach skincare. No judgement if it’s something you want to use, it’s just something you should do your own research on if you want to include it as an addition to your skincare routine. If you do use retinol, remember to only apply it at night, as it can be carcinogenic when exposed to the sun!
In this newsletter, we are going to deep dive into our first ingredient spotlight because there’s a gentler, non-toxic alternative that works similarly to retinol and fits perfectly into a cleaner routine: meet bakuchiol, the non-toxic retinol.
Bakuchiol is one of those ingredients I keep coming back to. It’s plant-based, backed by research, and safe for daily use, even for sensitive skin like me. I’m not here to push anti-aging (wrinkles are signs of life and I truly feel like we should be embracing them and something I see so much more of while spending the last few weeks in Europe!), but in a world where retinol constantly gets the spotlight, I love having a non-toxic swap I feel confident recommending and that I use myself. If you're cleaning up your beauty routine and want something that actually works, this is one to know.
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Before we get into it, we wanted to share an exciting feature in Layermor Substack! This brand makes amazing non-toxic perfumes (I gifted their perfume to my boyfriend because it’s actually unisex) and you can check out their new roll on perfume, which is perfect for summer travel (get 10% off all orders with code GIRLSWHOEAT) and check out the article here for more non-toxic living tips.
For the full run-down on bakuchiol and retinol, subscribe to the paid version of Non-Toxic Made Simple below for only $5/month or $50/year. Your subscription supports over 5 years of work I’ve poured into making non-toxic living more accessible and helps me continue to create free, trustworthy content for our community. Below, I’m covering the most common questions about bakuchiol, retinol, and my personal favorite swaps that I love and use.