NATURE'S RETINOL
THE EVERYWHERE BALM · 15-ingredient FORMULA
Bakuchiol (buh-koo-chee-ol) activates the same gene pathways as prescription retinol.
But with none of the script. None of the purge. No waiting three weeks to see if your face recovers.
Found at a functional dose inside The Everywhere Balm, alongside 14 other botanicals dedicated to smoothing, soothing, and protecting.
And if you're on tret or Roaccutane, it layers underneath your prescription. No conflicting actives. Just deep repair.
Read the science ↓
Bakuchiol is the headline.
But, the supporting cast matters too.
The Everywhere Balm pairs bakuchiol with 14 other natural ingredients chosen to work alongside it. No conflicting molecules. No diluted ingredients. No filler.
Notable players:
Helichrysum + bisabolol (CO2-extracted):
anti-inflammatory cofactors that amplify bakuchiol's calming effect.
Calendula + marshmallow root:
barrier-repairing botanicals that rebuild what retinoids historically destroy.
Squalane + shea + manuka:
the structural lipids your skin uses to hold moisture, especially overnight.
It is not a serum. It is not a moisturiser. It is a complete barrier-repair system with anti-ageing built in.
THE DEEP DIVE
A 2018 study compared bakuchiol against retinol over 12 weeks.
Here is what they found.
fine-line reversal.
59%
reduction in wrinkle surface area, matching retinol performance
gentle cell turnover.
0
reports of scaling, stinging, or photosensitivity (vs significant irritation in the retinol group)
no purge. no peeling.
24/7
morning, night, and every state in between. No purge. No photosensitivity.
who's it for
Bakuchiol is lipophilic. It belongs in lipids.
what lipophilic means
It means fat-soluble. Bakuchiol doesn't mix with water.
In water-based serums, it has to be emulsified to stay suspended — which dilutes it and adds stabilisers your skin doesn't need. In an anhydrous base, none of that. Bakuchiol sits at full dose. No compromise.
Your skin agrees. The pathways bakuchiol uses to absorb are lipid-rich. A lipid base delivers it along the route it already takes. Slower. Deeper. Longer contact with the cells doing the work.
Anhydrous formulas also stay on the skin longer. No water to evaporate. No preservatives interrupting the active. Bakuchiol works for hours instead of minutes.
This is the format the molecule was waiting for.
WATER-BASED MOISTURISER
75% WATER
evaporates within minutes
~25% ACTIVES
Often below functional dose.
Preservatives required. Water evaporates. Actives diluted.
ANHYDROUS BALM
100% LIPID SYSTEM
MCT
SHEA BUTTER
JOJOBA OIL
CALENDULA OIL
BEESWAX
SQUALANE
MARSHMALLOW
PLANTAIN
VITAMIN E
MONOLAURIN
MANUKA OIL
BAKUCHIOL
BISABOLOL
HELICHRYSUM
CARRIER BALANCE
No water. No preservatives. 15 actives at full dose. Nothing competing with your prescription.
who's it for
Made for the people retinol left behind.
Pregnant or breastfeeding.
Topical retinoids cross the placenta and are contraindicated during pregnancy. Bakuchiol is not a retinoid. It is widely used as a retinol alternative through pregnancy and breastfeeding by people who want collagen support without the script. Check with your GP, as always.
Sensitive, reactive, or barrier-damaged.
If retinol turned your face into a science experiment, this will not. Bakuchiol shows zero irritation in clinical trials and is anti-inflammatory by mechanism. It calms while it works. Whether your skin is reactive, rosacea-prone, eczema-prone, or just beaten up by products that promised more than they delivered, the answer is the same.
On Roaccutane or Tretinoin.
Your prescription is already doing the cell-turnover work. Bakuchiol supports collagen synthesis without compounding the irritation. No conflicting molecules. No acids, no synthetic retinoids, no fragrance, no essential oils. Safe alongside isotretinoin and topical retinoids. Check with your dermatologist, as always.
Retinol-curious.
Not retinol-ready.
No purge phase. No photosensitivity. No "avoid morning use." Bakuchiol is not photosensitising, so morning, night, whenever. No adjustment period to survive first. Visible firmness from week six. That is just how the molecule works. Start here.
expected results
Nothing real is overnight.
Week 1 to 2:
Skin feels softer, less reactive, more settled.
Week 4 to 6:
Texture begins to even. Fine lines around the eyes start to soften.
Week 8 to 12:
Visible firmness. Tone evens. That 'lit from within' thing people talk about. That is just a barrier doing its job again.
If you have been told to be patient with retinol, bakuchiol is the same patience. Without the pain.
Hear from NOOKS converts
★★★★★
I absolutely love this product! As I’m ageing, I find my skin is drying out quicker and I need to moisturize every day. With Nooks, my skin stays soft for days. I also love using it for my elbows and heels where the skin can often be rough. It’s not greasy or oily and absorbs quickly and easily! 🙂
— susan k.
★★★★★
Purchased this after seeing an Insta ad; had no expectations. Ive been sooo pleasantly surprised by this product. Never felt anything like it. My lips are noticeably hydrated for so much longer as are all the spots on my body that I apply the balm too. My skin is super dry and I struggle to find a hydrating product that's not full of nasties and makes me itch, or is too greasy and doesn't actually absorb. Highly recommend this.
— Imaan
★★★★★
I love the texture of NOOKS and how it nourishes my neck and décolletage. I have not been able to find anything that lasts the day and helps my skin maintain moisture. Love it!
— kerrie
FAQ
The questions skincare-literate people ask.
The 2018 Dhaliwal study (British Journal of Dermatology) showed statistically equivalent reduction in wrinkle depth and hyperpigmentation over 12 weeks. No difference in efficacy. Significant difference in tolerability. The retinol group reported scaling and stinging. The bakuchiol group did not.
Yes. Bakuchiol is non-conflicting. Many people alternate — retinoid one night, bakuchiol the next — to extend the active days per week while reducing irritation. Others use both on the same night, retinoid first, Everywhere Balm as the final step.
Bakuchiol is not a retinoid. It triggers similar collagen pathways without the receptor binding that makes prescription retinoids contraindicated during pregnancy. Widely used as a retinol alternative through pregnancy and breastfeeding. Run it past your obstetrician, as always.
Yes. No acids, no synthetic retinoids, no fragrance, no essential oils in the Everywhere Balm. Bakuchiol's anti-inflammatory profile makes it well-tolerated alongside isotretinoin. Always check with your dermatologist about layering anything on iso.
Bakuchiol is lipid-soluble. It performs better in an anhydrous (water-free) base. Fewer preservatives needed, better stability, better delivery into the skin. Most bakuchiol serums on the market are 70%+ water and 0.5% bakuchiol. Ours is concentrated, in a vehicle the molecule actually likes.
Comfort and softness: 1 to 2 weeks. Visible texture change: 4 to 6 weeks. Measurable anti-ageing: 8 to 12 weeks. Same biological timeline as retinol. That is how skin renewal works.
Yes. Full INCI list with percentages is on the back of every tin. The percentages on this page match the percentages on the back of pack. We don't trade-secret behind 'proprietary formula.'
0.5% is the lower threshold for the published clinical effect on visible texture. Most commercial bakuchiol products run 0.5–1.0%. Higher doses don't necessarily improve effect — they increase production cost. We sit at the dose where the literature supports the result.
CO₂ extraction preserves the heat-sensitive volatile compounds that steam distillation destroys. The CO₂ extract is 3–5x more expensive than the essential oil. The published activity is on the CO₂ form.
0.6% is below the dose where leptospermone-led sensitivity becomes a risk on mucosal tissue, but above the dose where antimicrobial activity is documented for skin pathogens. We chose the chemotype with leptospermone <20%. Higher doses risk the sensitivity profile.
Penetration enhancement risk. Monolaurin amplifies delivery of everything else in the formula. We trim it to 0.8% — antimicrobial pressure intact, penetration enhancement managed.
None. Calendula and helichrysum have inherent botanical scent profiles, but no added fragrance, no essential oils for scent, no synthetic perfume. The smell is the formula.
THE 15 ACTIVES
Read the back of pack.
01
MCT (CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE)
Carrier base, fast absorbing.
02
SHEA BUTTER
Rich emollient, barrier support.
03
JOJOBA OIL
Wax-ester, sebum-mimicking.
04
CALENDULA-INFUSED SUNFLOWER OIL
Botanical anti-inflammatory.
05
BEESWAX
Occlusive structure, edible-grade.
06
OLIVE-DERIVED SQUALANE
Lightweight slip, skin-identical lipid.
07
MARSHMALLOW ROOT INFUSION
Mucosal soothing.
08
PLANTAIN LEAF MACERATE
Antimicrobial, wound-healing tradition.
09
VITAMIN E
Antioxidant stability.
10
MONOLAURIN
Antimicrobial pressure.
11
MANUKA OIL
Antimicrobial, food-grade.
12
BAKUCHIOL
Visible texture support.
13
BISABOLOL
Anti-inflammatory.
14
HELICHRYSUM CO₂
Anti-inflammatory, regenerative tradition.
15
(CARRIER BALANCE)
Adjusts to 100%.
Retinol-level results. None of the collateral.
for skin under pressure