Review: Somethinc Bakuchiol Skinpair Oil Serum | Gin and Glow

Somethinc is a well-known and well-loved local Indonesian brand. Their affordable yet effective products are often seen in Indonesian beauty enthusiasts' skincare routine. At the end of 2020, Somethinc surprised all of us by releasing Bakuchiol Skinpair Oil Serum.

Bakuchiol is a very popular ingredient in the skincare world because a couple of studies have shown that it provides the same benefits as retinol without the irritation and side effects. Bakuchiol is also known as a retinol alternative since it can be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding while retinol is off-limits.

I have known about bakuchiol for years but at that time the only bakuchiol products available to me were Biossance and Herbivore, and both are quite expensive. So when Somethinc finally dropped this bakuchiol product at a very affordable price, I snatched it. 

This product is described as a natural & vegan alternative to retinol and it claims to have potent antioxidant properties as well as anti-inflammatory properties, the ability to reduce acne, stimulate collagen production, increase cell turnover rate and improve skin texture with minimal side effects (basically it does what retinol does without the harsh side effects). Aside from bakuchiol, this product also contains sunflower seed oil, tamanu seed oil and salicylic acid.

It comes in a cute, small bottle with a dropper. I have no issue with this packaging, since the oil is fluid, I also don't have any issue with the dropper.

Bakuchiol is a natural ingredient derived from the babchi plant and it has been used in ayurvedic and chinese medicine for ages. Some studies have shown that application of bakuchiol delivers similar results to retinol without the common retinol side effects such as dryness & irritation, however it is important to know that in the study, bakuchiol was applied twice daily while retinol was applied only once a day, meaning, the amount of bakuchiol and retinol applied each day and by the end of the study is not the same (more bakuchiol was used to achieve the results).

Back to the product, it's just like the name - oil serum. The texture is oil, kinda reminds me of rosehip oil but a little bit thicker. It takes a while to sink into the skin and despite all that, it doesn't leave any heavy and or greasy feeling behind. It has a distinguishable scent, which I suspect is tamanu, but it's not bad all (I kinda like it).

Since this is a 'treatment' oil (because it has active ingredients in it), I prefer to apply it before my moisturizer so the active ingredients can be absorbed into the skin better. Using it after moisturizer is great, but the moisturizer can 'buffer' the product, making it more gentle but also less effective.

Results-wise, I've been using this for over a month now and I can say that it does have anti-inflammatory properties. It helps with redness and inflammation (including random acne). I also notice that my pigmentation fades but it could be tamanu oil doing this magic. Although this does not cause any irritations or common retinol side effects, I feel like retinoids are better in terms of speeding up cell turnover, fighting acne and fading pigmentations.

Since the oil is very moisutirizing and nourishing, I've been using it as a regular face oil instead of 'treatment oil'. If you want to use this as a treatment oil, I recommend using it before your moisturizer so that all the actives can penetrate better, if you want to use this as a regular face oil you can get away with applying it on top of your moisturizer. But, if you have sensitive skin, you should try applying it after your moisturizer regardless.

I personally still prefer retinol and retinoids in general because they're better and the results are guaranteed. Although this one does help with acne and inflammation, it doesn't really do much for clogged pores and under-the-skin acne. However, for the price (IDR 89k), I'm impressed. Maybe this would be great for the younger crowd, the retinol rookie and the ones who can't use retinol due to pregnancy or something else.