CycloRetin™: The Next-Generation Retinol Alternative from Prince Ginseng
If bakuchiol is the “natural retinol alternative” with a decade of research behind it, CycloRetin™ is the new contender — a recently launched active derived from Prince ginseng that doesn't just mimic retinol's effects, it is designed to help skin make more effective use of its own natural retinol pathways. It's the second half of our Vitamin A Alternatives duo in the A⁶ Anti-Ageing Formula.
What Is CycloRetin™?
CycloRetin™ is a natural active developed by Clariant, titrated in heterophyllin B — a cyclic peptide found in Pseudostellaria heterophylla, also known as Prince ginseng, a plant long used in traditional Chinese medicine. The heterophyllin B in our formula is extracted from ginseng grown in China without fertilisers or pesticides, and its unusual cyclic structure gives it high stability and bioactivity for a plant-derived peptide.
How Does CycloRetin™ Work?
1. Optimising Your Own Retinol: Skin cells already contain retinol naturally. Instead of applying more of it from the outside the way a retinol serum does, CycloRetin™ increases the levels of retinol-converting enzymes and retinol receptors inside the cell — helping skin make better use of the retinol it already has.
2. Reinforcing Fibroblast Activity: It activates six separate genes involved in fibroblast function — the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin — with what Clariant's research describes as a stronger, broader effect than retinol on those same genes.
3. Strengthening the Skin Barrier: Unlike retinol, which mainly targets the dermis, CycloRetin™ also activates genes involved in epidermal barrier function and hydration — working on both skin layers at once.
Because it works by optimising existing intracellular retinol pathways rather than flooding skin with external retinol, it's designed to deliver retinol-like results without triggering the irritation response that comes with traditional retinol use.
The Data Behind the Claim
|
Evidence |
Source |
|
Mechanism studies |
Clariant |
|
Cell studies |
Clariant |
|
Clinical study |
Clariant |
|
Independent clinical trials |
Not yet available |
Worth being upfront about: the studies below were run and published by Clariant, the ingredient's manufacturer — not an independent academic trial like the one behind bakuchiol. We're flagging that distinction on purpose; it's the same proof-first standard we hold every active to, supplier data included.
Pro-collagen I synthesis (% of control):
Table 1: Pro-collagen I synthesis in cultured human dermal fibroblasts following treatment with CycloRetin™, bakuchiol and retinol. Results expressed relative to untreated control cells.
|
Test Material |
Pro-Collagen I |
|
TGF-β1 (10 ng/mL, positive control) |
74%* |
|
Retinol (0.001%) |
158%*** |
|
Bakuchiol (0.001%) |
44% (ns) |
|
CycloRetin™ (0.1%, HB at 0.00001%) |
133%*** |
|
Heterophyllin B alone (0.00001%) |
95%** |
(* p<0.05, ** p<0.01, *** p<0.001, ns = not significant. CycloRetin™ significantly outperformed bakuchiol on this specific marker, p<0.01.)
What does this mean?
Collagen is one of the key structural proteins responsible for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. In this laboratory study, CycloRetin™ significantly increased pro-collagen I production compared with untreated cells and outperformed bakuchiol on this specific marker. Retinol produced the highest response in this assay, while CycloRetin™ demonstrated a strong collagen-supporting effect using a different biological mechanism.
Skin firmness (D28 / D56):
• vs. placebo: +12.6% vs. +0.6% at D28, +19.0% vs. +3.1% at D56 — roughly 6x the placebo effect by D56
• vs. bakuchiol: +7.9% vs. +8.8% at D28, +14.9% vs. +17.0% at D56 — no significant difference between the two
Figure 1. Clinical evaluation of skin firmness after 28 and 56 days of treatment with CycloRetin™, compared with placebo and bakuchiol.
What does this mean?
Skin firmness reflects the skin's ability to resist deformation and maintain its structure. Participants using CycloRetin™ experienced significantly greater improvements than placebo after both 28 and 56 days. Improvements were comparable to those observed with bakuchiol, suggesting that both ingredients effectively support firmer-looking skin with continued use.
Skin sagging / lifting (D28):
• vs. placebo: −10.7% vs. −2% — roughly 5x the placebo effect
• vs. bakuchiol: −12.8% vs. −8.9% — CycloRetin™ outperformed bakuchiol by about 1.4x
Figure 2. Clinical assessment of visible skin sagging after 28 days of treatment.
What does this mean?
Reducing skin sagging contributes to a firmer, more lifted facial appearance. In this study, CycloRetin™ produced greater improvements than placebo and showed stronger performance than bakuchiol for this specific measurement, indicating potential benefits for improving visible skin firmness and facial contours.
Skin luminosity (D28):
• vs. placebo: +1.9% vs. +0.2% — roughly 9.5x the placebo effect
• vs. bakuchiol: +4.3% vs. +3.5% — no significant difference between the two
Figure 3. Changes in skin luminosity (L) following treatment with CycloRetin™, compared with placebo and bakuchiol.*
What does this mean?
The L* parameter measures skin brightness, with higher values indicating a brighter, more luminous complexion. CycloRetin™ significantly improved skin luminosity compared with placebo, while achieving results comparable to bakuchiol. This suggests that supporting skin renewal may also contribute to a healthier-looking, more radiant complexion.
Wrinkle reduction vs. retinol:
• Day 14: CycloRetin™ 1% already at −5.1% vs. retinol 0.3% at +0.4% (not yet significant) — CycloRetin™ shows a measurable effect first
• Day 28: retinol catches up to −8.8% vs. CycloRetin™ at −7.1% — both significant, comparable effect
Figure 6. Comparison of wrinkle reduction over 28 days between CycloRetin™ and retinol.
What does this mean?
Both ingredients significantly reduced the appearance of wrinkles by Day 28. Interestingly, CycloRetin™ showed measurable improvements earlier in the study, while retinol reached a comparable level of wrinkle reduction by the end of the 28-day period. According to the supplier's published research, this suggests CycloRetin™ may provide retinol-like visible benefits through a different biological pathway.
About the research: Unless otherwise stated, the figures below are derived from studies conducted and published by Clariant, the developer of CycloRetin™. We believe it's important to clearly distinguish supplier-generated data from independent academic research so readers can interpret the evidence in its proper context.
Why Choose CycloRetin™?
• Outperforms bakuchiol on sagging (1.4x) and pro-collagen I synthesis (133% vs. 44%, p<0.01), and matches it on firmness and luminosity
• Shows a measurable wrinkle-reduction effect faster than retinol (significant by Day 14), with both converging to a comparable result by Day 28
• Works with your skin's own retinol pathway instead of adding more retinol to it
• Targets both the dermis (collagen/elastin) and epidermis (barrier/hydration) — a wider scope than retinol alone
• Designed for minimal irritation, with no overload of externally applied retinol
• Water-soluble and used at low concentrations, which Clariant also positions as a lower-impact formulation choice
CycloRetin™ in Our A⁶ Anti-Ageing Formula
Paired with bakuchiol and Amplified Argireline® in A⁶, CycloRetin™ covers the structural-renewal side of the formula — collagen, elastin and barrier function — while the peptide complex handles expression lines. Three different mechanisms, three different evidence bases, one bottle.
Conclusion
CycloRetin™ is the newest name on this list, and the data so far — including head-to-head testing against bakuchiol itself — makes a real case. We'll keep watching as more independent research comes in, the same way we'd want you to.
Powered by knowledge, not hype.
Research Index
1. Clariant — CycloRetin™ product page — Manufacturer page with full mechanism description and the placebo/bakuchiol/retinol clinical comparison data cited above. https://www.clariant.com/en/Business-Units/Care-Chemicals/Personal-Care/Actives-and-Natural-Origins/Active-Ingredients/Natural-Actives/CycloRetin
2. 28N Skincare — A⁶ Anti-Ageing Formula — Live product page confirming Bakuchiol and CycloRetin as the “Vitamin A Alternatives” pairing. (Already cited in the comparison post.) https://www.28nskincare.com.au/products/anti-aging-serum