Top-rated pregnancy-safe retinol alternative that 'removes breakouts and makes skin glow'

If you're there are lots of rules about what you can and cannot put in – and on – your body, in order to keep you and your baby as safe as possible – and that includes the skincare ingredient .

Retinol and other vitamin A derivatives are often called 'the gold standard in anti-ageing ingredients' and can help with many skin concerns, including spots, pigmentation, dullness and fine lines, but because they're such active ingredients, they're not recommended for use when you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Luckily, we've found that shoppers say delivers results that are just as good.

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The ingredient bakuchiol is often called a natural alternative to retinol for its line-smoothing and skin-plumping abilities, and , £55, is a super popular choice, with dozens of five star reviews and customers calling it "a must have" and "an absolute gem".

contains 1.25% collagen-boosting bakuchiol along with skin-brightening peptide precursors to even out skin tone, and inka omega oil to nourish and support the skin barrier. It's designed to be used morning and night after cleansing and before your SPF (in the morning) or richer moisturiser (in the evening). One customer also reported that it layers well over the top of Medik8's now-viral new 'Botox in a bottle' , which you can .

"I love this serum," one happy customer wrote about Medik8's Bakuchiol Peptides. "I buy it again and again. It removes breakouts, evens out skin tone, and ."

"I bought this lovely oil-based serum as an alternative to retinol as I was becoming increasingly more sensitive to my usual retinol," another review reads. "It sinks in immediately and doesn’t leave any greasy residue. It sits very well under make-up and doesn’t cause any pilling. My skin looks brighter and feels really soft. I’ve been using for a few weeks and ."

A third person writes how they bought it for a pregnant family member: "I bought it for my sister-in-law as she is pregnant, . You can see her skin hydrated and the wrinkles and fine lines have been taken care of."

In fact, the only minor complaint we found was from one shopper who wrote that "I’m yet to notice any significant improvement with fine lines and wrinkles", however did see "" and "improvement to my skin texture, tone and clarity". Sounds like a must-try!

If you're looking for a more wallet-friendly alternative, The INKEY List has a for £13, while is now almost half price on Amazon, down from £24.99 to £14.