The Top Line: It’s a BUY. We purchased Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil primarily to help with dry skin and it delivered! It absorbed into our skin much better than other oils we have tried in the past (including argan, plum seed, squalane, blue tansy and more. Skin feels dewy and plump, and when we put it on before bed, our skin feels moisturized in the morning (not the case in the last couple of years after having a baby). We also appreciate that there are studies that say Bakuchiol is comparable with Retinol, without the irritation —we can’t confirm this as we haven’t been able to use retinol for more than a few days due to the irritation. All in all, this is our favorite facial oil after about 5 months of use!

The Breakdown:

• Cost & Products: $29.50 for 1 fl oz; we’re about halfway through the bottle, after using it 5-6x a week for about 5 months

• How ‘Clean’ Is This? Plant-based and vegan formula, all natural ingredients including Bakuchiol, Vitamin E, Squalane, Jojoba, Argan, Rosehip, Plum Seed, Marula and Avocado oils. Pretty clean!

• Packaging: Comes in a glass bottle, and cardboard box - minimal packaging.

• Purchasing & Shipping: Quick checkout and shipping on Amazon

• Good to know: There have been a handful of small-scale clinical studies (randomized, double-blind assessments) comparing Bakuchiol with Retinol, with the conclusion that “bakuchiol is comparable with retinol in its ability to improve photoageing and is better tolerated than retinol”.

The Reviews

We like to dig into the reviews for a product to better understand what other’s may have experiences, any watch outs, and help with our own purchasing decision. Here’s what we look for in reviews on Amazon (and why), and what we found for Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil :

• 200+ Ratings, 80+ with Reviews: We’re generally suspect if there’s a lot of ratings but very little or no written reviews. We also like to see a healthy number of reviews from the U.S. Overall, this looks robust for Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil, especially given that this is a small, founder-owned brand

• Average rating of 4.5 (out of 5) stars! The reviews that stood out to us:

  • ★★★★★ “Even though it is an oil, it is absorbed very quickly. Within two weeks of applying it morning and evening, I've noticed my skin looking healthier, brighter, and younger. I am 61 years old, with olive complexion. I have even received compliments from colleagues about how "nice" my skin looks. This is definitely a keeper!”

  • ★★★★★ “One of the best I have ever used ! I have cystic acne and haven’t had one flare up since I’ve been using this. I highly recommend it. I can only use it at night since it won’t absorb well enough to put liquid foundation over it. But my skin looks great and has improved since I started using this”

  • ★★★★★ “Had been using a retinol product for about 4 months. Worked well, but I was concerned about sun sensitivity. I had read about bakuchiol oil and looked for products online. This one by Gaia has the fewest ingredients and a very light Damascus rose scent that fades quickly. I have been using it for about 4 weeks and the results are Fabulous! Better than retinol ever thought of being. My skin tone has evened out (had lots of brown sun spots that are fading). Has improved my skin texture on face, neck and chest. I'm especially impressed with what it has done for my sagging neck skin - almost all of the sagging is gone (I'm 71 years old).”

  • ★★★★★ “I’ve been using this oil for about 6 weeks now. I tend to have an oily T zone, but can get super dry on my cheeks (to where the skin gets crackly and flaky), especially in the winter. My skin has felt hydrated, smooth and soft. It absorbs quickly and leaves no oily residue, and the scent is nice and light. I would definitely buy this again, and am giving a bottle to my mother and sister.”

The Experience

Context: For the last couple of years, we’ve experienced much dryer skin — could be because we had our first child, could also be that we moved and the HVAC system is doing a number on our skin. We’re also generally looking for products that can help with fine lines, in addition to keeping our skin moisturized (which, we’re convinced is the only way to really stave off fine lines anyway). We have tried Retinol, but it caused such itchiness that we couldn’t use it for more than a few days. We’ve also tried a number of more natural oils and serums, ranging from argan, plum seed, squalane, blue tansy and more.

• I found Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil to be incredibly soothing, no irritation to skin, even during pre-menstrual and menstrual periods

• Absorbs well, leaving skin feeling dewy and plump

• Lovely Damascus rose scent that we LOVE (but understand that it might not be for everyone)

• We tend to move onto new products fairly quickly, but find ourselves coming back to this as our favorite most evenings and mornings

Overall, very happy with the experience!

The Cost

We compared Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil with with other facial oils, retinol products, and moisturizers, including Paula’s Choice 1% Retinol, Biossance Squalane + Retinol Night Serum, Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil, and more

The Good:

✔ Incredibly soothing, no irritation to skin, even during pre-menstrual and menstrual periods

✔ Absorbs well, leaving skin feeling dewy and plump

✔ Lovely natural Damascus rose scent that we LOVE (but understand that it might not be for everyone)

✔ Made with natural ingredients including Bakuchiol, Vitamin E, Squalane, Jojoba, Argan, Rosehip, Plum Seed, Marula and Avocado oils

✔ Lightweight formula (many facial oils that we have tried are too greasy)

✔ 100% Natural, Vegan, Soy/Gluten/GMO Free, Organic, Cruelty Free

✔ No Phthalates, No Sulfates, No Preservatives or Chemicals, No Parabens

The Bad:

✗ We have no complaints!!!

Our Recommendation:

It’s a BUY. We purchased Gaia Body 5% Bakuchiol Facial Oil primarily to help with dry skin and it delivered! It absorbed into our skin much better than other oils we have tried in the past (including argan, plum seed, squalane, blue tansy and more. Skin feels dewy and plump, and when we put it on before bed, our skin feels moisturized in the morning (not the case in the last couple of years after having a baby). We also appreciate that there are studies that say Bakuchiol is comparable with Retinol, without the irritation —we can’t confirm this as we haven’t been able to use retinol for more than a few days due to the irritation. All in all, this is our favorite facial oil after about 5 months of use!

We're on a mission to reduce our personal carbon footprint with small, hopefully easy, changes in our home to fight against climate change. This means we're looking for products that may be all natural, ideally zero waste, reusable or compostable -- while still being affordable!