Short answer: no oil erases wrinkles. A good face oil eases dryness, so fine lines look softer, but daily sunscreen does more to limit new lines. Of the four, bakuchi has the closest link to anti-ageing research, gotu kola suits sensitive skin, sweet almond is a simple moisturiser and kumkumadi is mainly for tone.
Key takeaways
- Oils soften the look of dryness lines; they do not remove deeper wrinkles.
- Bakuchi, gotu kola, sweet almond and kumkumadi each suit a different skin need (see the table).
- Use 2 to 4 drops at night and introduce one new oil at a time.
- Honest caution: bakuchi can make skin sun-sensitive, so use it at night only and ask your doctor if you are pregnant or nursing.
Can an oil really reduce wrinkles?
Not in the way a prescription retinoid can. Oils work mainly by moisturising: well-hydrated skin looks plumper, so fine lines caused by dryness soften. Deeper lines from sun damage, lost collagen and expression are different, and no cosmetic oil reverses them.
The best evidence for slowing visible ageing is for daily broad-spectrum sunscreen (see our guide to mineral vs chemical sunscreen) and, under a dermatologist's guidance, retinoids. Oils still keep dry or mature skin supple, and some carry plant compounds studied for skin ageing.
Which oil is best for wrinkles: kumkumadi, almond, gotu kola or bakuchi?
It depends on your skin and what you want to change.
| Oil | What it is | Best suited to | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kumkumadi | Classical herbal infusion of saffron, sandalwood, licorice and more in sesame oil | Dullness, dark spots and uneven tone | Use at night. Contains goat milk, so not vegan |
| Sweet almond | One cold-pressed oil | Dry skin that needs a simple emollient | A tree nut: avoid with a nut allergy |
| Gotu kola | One cold-pressed centella seed oil | Dry, sensitive or stressed-looking skin | Light and fragrance-free |
| Bakuchi | One cold-pressed Psoralea corylifolia seed oil | Fine lines and uneven tone when retinol is too harsh | Can make skin sun-sensitive: night only, start slowly |
Is bakuchi oil the same as bakuchiol?
No. Bakuchiol is a single purified compound taken from bakuchi seeds. The best-known trial (Dhaliwal and colleagues, British Journal of Dermatology, 2019) compared a 0.5% bakuchiol cream with 0.5% retinol over 12 weeks and found similar improvement in wrinkles and pigmentation, with less scaling and stinging in the bakuchiol group. That study used the purified compound, not the whole seed oil.
Whole bakuchi seed oil contains bakuchiol alongside other compounds and can make skin sun-sensitive. Treat our Bakuchi Oil as a night-only product: patch test, then use 2 to 3 drops two or three nights a week, alone or stirred into your moisturiser, building up to nightly once your skin is comfortable. Wear sunscreen the next morning. If you are pregnant, nursing or using prescription skin treatments, check with your doctor first.
Bakuchi Oil
30 ml · ₹390
Cold-pressed seed oil for night use only.
Not for you if you are pregnant or nursing unless your doctor agrees
Is kumkumadi oil good for wrinkles?
It is better thought of as a tone oil than a wrinkle oil. Kumkumadi tailam is traditionally used for glow, dark spots and blemish marks.
Our Kumkumadi Face Oil keeps the classical recipe: saffron, red sandalwood, manjishtha and licorice with more than twenty other herbs, infused in sesame oil, goat milk and rose water. The sesame base softens dry skin, but we do not sell it as an anti-wrinkle treatment. Use 3 to 4 drops at night on the face and neck. Oily or breakout-prone skin should start with 2 drops a few nights a week. If you want both kumkumadi and bakuchi, use them on alternate nights.
Is almond oil good for wrinkles under the eyes?
It helps with dryness, which can make the under-eye area look crinkly, but it will not remove established lines. Our Sweet Almond Oil is a single cold-pressed ingredient, rich in vitamin E and oleic and linoleic acids.
At night, pat one drop along the bone below the eye, keeping it out of the eye itself. Avoid it entirely if you have a tree-nut allergy.
Which oil suits sensitive or mature skin?
Gotu kola is the gentlest of the four. Centella asiatica is the plant behind "cica" creams, and its triterpenes are studied for soothing skin and in skin-ageing research, though mostly as extracts rather than seed oil.
Our Gotu Kola Oil is one cold-pressed ingredient with no fragrance. Press 2 to 3 drops onto slightly damp skin once or twice a day. If you prefer a single blend, Age Gracefully Face Oil combines gotu kola with grapeseed, watermelon seed, almond and jojoba oils, plus frankincense, lavender and patchouli essential oils. Very reactive skin may prefer the single oil.
How should I use a face oil for fine lines?
- Apply it at night as the last step, on clean, slightly damp skin or over your moisturiser.
- Use 2 to 4 drops, and introduce one new oil at a time.
- Wear sunscreen every morning. It protects whatever progress you make.
Shop the routine
Add only the steps you need. Each button adds one item to your bag.
Step 2, oil
Gotu Kola Oil · 30 ml · ₹445
Fragrance-free daily choice for dry or sensitive skin; swap in Bakuchi Oil (₹390) two or three nights a week if your skin is comfortable
Step 3, under the eyes
Sweet Almond Oil · 50 ml · ₹460
One drop on the bone below the eye. Skip it with a tree-nut allergy
Step 4, next morning
Your own SPF-rated sunscreen. We do not sell one, and our Sunscreen has no SPF rating
What mistakes should I avoid with face oils for fine lines?
- Expecting an oil to remove deep wrinkles or replace sunscreen.
- Using bakuchi or kumkumadi in the morning, or starting bakuchi every night.
- Starting several new oils at once, so you cannot tell which one irritates.
- Using too many drops, which can feel heavy and congesting.
- Putting almond oil near the eye or using it with a tree-nut allergy.
Is it safe, and do I need a patch test?
Patch test first. These are cosmetics, not treatments. Try any new oil on the inner forearm for 24 hours before using it on your face, and stop if you notice burning, itching or a rash. See a doctor or dermatologist about any skin change that worries you, and before using bakuchi while pregnant, nursing or on prescription skin medication.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mix bakuchi oil with almond oil?
Yes. Diluting bakuchi into a carrier oil or a cream is fine, and it is a sensible way to start.
Can I use face oil in the morning?
Almond and gotu kola can go under sunscreen. Keep bakuchi and kumkumadi for the evening.
How long before I see a difference?
Skin usually feels softer quickly. Fine lines change slowly, if at all, and we would rather not invent a timeline.
Will a face oil make my oily skin breakout-prone?
It can if the oil feels too rich for your skin. Start with 2 drops a few nights a week, and choose a light oil such as gotu kola.
Is bakuchi oil a natural retinol?
No. Retinol and bakuchiol are different compounds, and the trial above tested a purified bakuchiol cream, not whole bakuchi seed oil. Ask a dermatologist before swapping a prescribed retinoid.
Can I use face oil over my moisturiser?
Yes. Apply the moisturiser first, then the oil as the last step at night so it can slow water loss.
The short version
No oil removes wrinkles, but a well-chosen one keeps dry skin supple, and sunscreen every morning protects the result. If you would like one oil to start with, our Kumkumadi Face Oil (₹620) is the classical recipe for tone, and Age Gracefully Face Oil (₹600) is a ready blend. Or browse all GraceYes products. Kumkumadi contains goat milk, so it is not vegan.
Our motto: to make the cleanest beauty products
Want to compare the oils side by side? Each face oil and cream in our face care range prints its full ingredient list.
Browse our face care range →Sources
- Dhaliwal S, et al. Prospective, randomized, double-blind assessment of topical bakuchiol and retinol for facial photoageing. British Journal of Dermatology, 2019. It compared a purified 0.5% bakuchiol cream with 0.5% retinol over 12 weeks; it did not test whole bakuchi seed oil or GraceYes products.
More from the Journal: Gotu kola oil for face: benefits and how to use it.