Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. After years of facial muscle contractions, sun damage, and environmental exposure, fine lines are bound to appear. As we age our skin thins and loses its flexibility, causing those fine lines to deepen. But just because they are natural does not mean we have to sit back and accept our wrinkles!

There are ways to slow down wrinkle development, like using SPF daily, moisturizing regularly, and always removing makeup before bed. But once those pesky fine lines start to show up, these steps won’t make them disappear. So how do we fight fine lines and wrinkles?

I’ve spent years researching and testing thousands of different products and ingredients to come to this conclusion… My absolute ride-or-die, #1 anti-aging solution is a retinol PLUS bakuchiol combination! And that is why I created the Skin by Blair Power Pair. Bakuchiol and retinaldehyde are simply better together. How, you ask? Well first, let’s break down each product individually.

What is Retinaldehyde?

Retinaldehyde is an over-the-counter Vitamin A derivative that is just one step below a prescription retinoic acid, like Tretinoin, making it much more potent than retinol. To fully understand why this matters, you first need to understand how retinoids work. To increase skin cell turnover and collagen production, an over-the-counter retinoid must be converted to retinoic acid, which happens in three steps for retinyl palmitate, two steps for retinol, and only one step for retinaldehyde. The more steps required for conversion, the less impactful a retinoid becomes. I take a deeper dive into all things retinoids in this post.

What is Bakuchiol?

Bakuchiol is a pregnancy safe retinoid-alternative. I won’t get into the nitty gritty of how the formula interacts with the body, but basically it has a very similar gene expression as retinoids, meaning they have very similar benefits to the skin.

One of the best things about this product is that everyone can benefit from it! Even if you’re not pregnant or nursing, not planning on getting pregnant anytime soon, or you’re done having babies, you can still use it as a retinoid booster! Bakuchiol stimulates collagen production, helps produce elastin, firms your skin, improves skin tone, decreases hyperpigmentation and helps with overall skin quality and texture. Its' anti-bacterial properties make it ideal for acne prone skin, and its' antioxidant properties help to shield your skin from free radicals, preventing collagen breakdown. This makes it great for those of you with any anti-aging skin concerns!