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"Natural anti-aging serum" covers a wide range of products, from plain botanical oils to sophisticated plant cell culture extracts. As a cosmetic formulator, I group the plant-derived actives into three families, because each one does a different job and has a very different amount of evidence behind it: bakuchiol, plant stem cell extracts and botanical oils. This page explains each family, what has actually been measured, how to read the label, and how I combine them in one botanical serum at full usage rates.
If you are still deciding what kind of anti-aging serum you need, or how serums fit into a routine in general, start with our complete guide to finding the perfect anti-aging serum. This page goes deep on the botanical actives only.
The Three Botanical Families at a Glance
| Family | Example INCI | Main job in a serum | Strength of evidence | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakuchiol | Bakuchiol | The look of fine lines, texture and uneven tone | Strongest of the three: randomized, double-blind human data | Oil-soluble as a pure compound; water-dispersible boosters exist |
| Plant stem cell extracts | Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract | Supplier-tested support for the look of smoother skin | Mostly supplier data, few published numbers | Water phase |
| Botanical oils | Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | Softness, slip and moisture retention | Limited clinical data for visible aging specifically | Oil phase |
Bakuchiol: The Best-Documented Botanical Active
What it is
Bakuchiol is a compound from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia, the babchi plant. It is not a retinoid and is not chemically related to retinol, but it is used for many of the same visible goals.
What has been measured
- Dhaliwal and colleagues, 2019, British Journal of Dermatology. A 12-week, randomized, double-blind study in 44 people compared 0.5% bakuchiol cream applied twice daily with 0.5% retinol cream applied once daily. Both groups showed a significant decrease in wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation, with no statistically significant difference between them. The retinol group reported more scaling and stinging.
- Draelos and colleagues, 2020, Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. As summarized in a 2026 review in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, a bakuchiol cleanser and moisturizer used for 4 weeks by people with mild to moderate sun-related aging, including people with sensitive skin, produced significant improvements. Transepidermal water loss stayed stable and corneometry measured roughly a 16% increase in skin hydration. I could not confirm the concentration or number of participants from the summary.
The same 2026 review, by R.K. Chaudhuri and hosted by bakuchiol supplier Hallstar, gives a typical use level of about 0.5% to 1% pure bakuchiol in topical formulas. Keep in mind that a review hosted by a supplier is not independent.
How to read the label
Pure bakuchiol is an oily compound. Many DIY boosters, including ours, deliver it pre-dispersed in a carrier so it blends into water-based serums. Our Bakuchiol Serum Booster 0.5oz lists Vegetable Glycerin, Water, Bakuchiol Extract and Silver Dihydrogen Citrate, and is recommended at 3% to 15%. That percentage refers to the booster liquid, not to pure bakuchiol, so it cannot be compared one-to-one with the 0.5% used in the study.
Plant Stem Cell Extracts: What They Are and What They Are Not
What the ingredient really is
"Plant stem cells" is a marketing name. The best-known example, PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica from the Swiss supplier Mibelle, carries the INCI name Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract. The supplier grows apple callus cells, the undifferentiated cells a plant forms at a wound, in a culture, then prepares an extract from them. The supplier describes the product as a liposomal preparation. It does not state that living cells remain in the finished ingredient, and plant cells cannot become human skin cells.
What has been measured
Mibelle's product page lists in vitro results: increased colony-forming efficiency of epidermal stem cells, maintained capacity to build new tissue in a 3D epidermis model, increased vitality of epidermal stem cells, and reversal of signs of senescence in fibroblasts. It also shows an anti-wrinkle effect around the eyes in people. The public page does not give the concentration, number of participants, duration or measured results for the human test, so I cannot quote numbers. I classify this as supplier-supported evidence.
How to use it
Mibelle recommends 2% to 5%, and our PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica Apple Stem Cells booster carries the same 2% to 5% recommendation. I use the top of that range: 5%, which is 45 drops per fluid ounce. Add it to the water phase of a serum, lotion or cream, and refrigerate the booster with the cap tightly closed.
Botanical Oils: The Feel and the Finish
Botanical oils are what most people picture when they hear "natural serum." They are excellent for softness, slip, a healthy-looking glow and reducing moisture loss. What I could not find is strong clinical evidence that plant oils on their own change the look of lines in the way bakuchiol was measured to. I use them as the delivery and comfort layer of a routine, not as the main active.
What I look for in an oil
| Oil (INCI) | Formulator notes | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Rosehip (Rosa Canina Fruit Oil) | Light, dry-feeling oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids | Oxidizes quickly; refrigerate and buy small bottles |
| Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil) | Technically a liquid wax, very stable, feels close to skin's own oils | Very few issues; good base oil |
| Squalane (plant-derived) | Light, stable, nearly weightless | Check source on the label if you want plant-derived |
| Sea buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil) | Deep orange color from carotenoids | Can tint skin and fabric; use as a small part of a blend |
These are working notes from formulating, not study results. Skin Perfection does not publish maximum usage rates for these oils, so I am not giving percentages for an oil blend here.
Oils and water-based actives do not mix on their own
Bakuchiol boosters dispersed in glycerin, plant stem cell extracts and peptide boosters are all water-based. They will not blend into a pure oil serum. Either use them in a water-based serum and apply the oil afterward as a separate step, or build an emulsion.
A Botanical Serum at Full Strength
This formula combines the two water-phase botanical actives at their highest recommended rates. Drop counts use our house rate of 9 drops = 1% per fluid ounce.
Botanical Night Serum (1 fl oz)
| Ingredient | Rate | Drops | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakuchiol Serum Booster | 15% | 135 | 4.5 g |
| PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica Apple Stem Cells | 5% | 45 | 1.5 g |
| Preserved water-based serum or gel base | 80% | Fill to 1 fl oz | About 24 g |
- Sanitize a 1 oz dropper or airless bottle.
- Add the base, then both boosters.
- Cap and shake for 30 seconds. Label with the date.
- Refrigerate between uses.
- Apply to a clean, dry face and neck at night. Follow with 2 to 3 drops of jojoba or squalane pressed over the top if your skin is dry.
Routine order
- Evening: cleanse, botanical serum, facial oil, moisturizer if needed.
- Morning: cleanse, hydrating serum, moisturizer, broad-spectrum sunscreen.
For a full retinol-free routine that combines botanical actives with peptides, see how to build a retinol alternative routine with botanical peptides. For a side-by-side look at bakuchiol, retinyl palmitate and peptides, see our page on 2.5% retinol serum alternatives.
How to Judge a Natural Anti-Aging Serum on the Shelf
- Find the active in the INCI. Bakuchiol, a cell culture extract, or a named oil. If the botanical is listed near the end, after the preservative, it is probably present at a very low level.
- Check whether the percentage is disclosed. Bakuchiol studies used 0.5% pure bakuchiol. A product that discloses its bakuchiol percentage lets you compare.
- Check the phase. A clear water gel with "rosehip" in the name may contain very little oil. An oil serum cannot carry water-based actives.
- Check the preservative. Any product containing water needs one.
- Check the packaging. Dark glass or airless pumps protect oils and botanical extracts from light and air.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most effective natural anti-aging ingredient?
Of the three botanical families on this page, bakuchiol has the strongest human evidence: a 12-week randomized, double-blind study of 44 people found 0.5% bakuchiol comparable to 0.5% retinol for decreasing wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation.
Do plant stem cells work on human skin?
Cosmetic "plant stem cells" are plant cell culture extracts. The supplier of the best-known apple extract reports in vitro results and an eye-area anti-wrinkle effect, but publishes no study numbers on its public page. Plant cells do not become human cells. I classify these extracts as supplier-supported support ingredients.
Can I mix bakuchiol and plant stem cells?
Yes. Both of our boosters are water-based, so they blend into the same serum. The Botanical Night Serum above uses Bakuchiol Serum Booster at 15% and PhytoCellTec at 5%.
Are facial oils anti-aging?
Oils improve softness and help reduce moisture loss, which makes skin look smoother. I could not find strong clinical evidence that oils alone change the look of lines, so I use them as a finishing layer over a serum with measured actives.
Is a natural serum safer than a synthetic one?
Not automatically. Botanical extracts and essential oils can cause reactions too. Patch test on the inner forearm for 24 to 48 hours before facial use.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.
Sources
- Dhaliwal S, Rybak I, Ellis SR, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;180(2):289-296.
- Chaudhuri RK. Bakuchiol: from structural mimicry to systems-level skin biology. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2026. doi:10.1111/ics.70116. Narrative review, including the summary of Draelos et al., Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2020;19:1181-1183.
- Mibelle Biochemistry. PhytoCellTec Malus Domestica. Supplier technical page: INCI, 2% to 5% use level, in vitro findings.