You’ll find this lovely skincare ingredient under the harder-to-say alchemilla vulgaris name but it’s also known as lady’s mantle. Why? Well we don’t really know but legend has it that it was used to adorn the Virgin Mary. There’s your fun fact for the day. But you’re not here for that.
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If you are wondering how alchemilla vulgaris extract is used in skincare and cosmetics, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll take a look at what it is, common uses, skin benefits, and whether it’s safe to use on your skin.
What Is Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract (Lady’s Mantle)?
Alchemilla vulgaris extract is an extract from the alchemilla plant, which is an herb that’s native to parts of North America, Asia, and Europe. You’ll also find this plant under the common names lion’s foot, bear’s foot, nine hooks, and lady’s mantle. It has been used for its medicinal purposes for centuries. It’s best known for its ability to help heal wounds.
The extract is obtained from the green leaves of the plant, and contains several compounds that are useful in skin care. This lovely looking plant also has some lovely benefits to the skin!
This includes salicylic acid flavonoids, as well as tannins like pedunculagin. In its pure form, alchemilla vulgaris extract looks like an amber liquid with a mild herbal scent that smells fresh and clean.
You’ll find lady’s mantle in serums, moisturizers, treatments, cleansers, and even sunscreen products. It’s naturally an astringent so it’s common in products intended to tone, tighten, and reduce the appearance of pore size. Lady’s mantle is also common in brightening and spot correcting products.
What Are The Uses & Benefits of Lady’s Mantle Extract?
Thanks to the unique chemical composition of alchemilla vulgaris extract, it has a number of useful benefits when incorporated into skincare products. A few of its uses and benefits include:
- Exfoliation – Salicylic acid and the tannins in alchemilla vulgaris extract function as astringents, which helps tighten up the skin, condition it, and improve the exfoliation (shedding) of dead skin cells. This leads to brighter, firmer, more beautiful skin.
- Fight Acne – The salicylic acid in this ingredient can help deeply clean pores which can help prevent current and future breakouts. In fact, salicylic acid is considered a FDA approved treatment for acne.
- Antioxidant properties – The phenolic acids and flavonoids present in alchemilla vulgaris extract are powerful antioxidants, and can help fight back against damage from free radicals. These types of antioxidants are also thought to help with fine lines and wrinkles.
- Helps with scars and stretch marks – Alchemilla vulgaris helps promote collagen turnover on the skin, which can help reduce the prominence of stretch marks and some types of scar tissue, minimizing these imperfections and restoring the appearance of your skin.
Is Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract Vegan?
Yes. Alchemilla vulgaris extract is derived from the alchemilla vulgaris/lady’s mantle herb. This ingredient does not involve any animal products, so it’s completely vegan.
Of course, if you are purchasing a product with alchemilla vulgaris, the other substances used in the skincare product may or may not be vegan. Consult with the manufacturer to ensure the product is vegan and cruelty-free.
Is Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract Safe In Skincare?
Yes. Alchemilla vulgaris is considered safe to use on your skin without detrimental side effects. It isn’t toxic or unsafe to use, even in high concentrations. Most of the studies on lady’s mantle are focused on the health benefits of ingesting rather than the impact on the skin.
EWG also ranks this ingredient as a 1, which is the best rating an ingredient can have based on its likelihood to cause cancer, be toxic, or cause allergies/irritation.
However, any skincare ingredients that exfoliate can lead to irritation if overdone. Over exfoliating can dry out the skin and disrupt the natural skin barrier, which can then lead to unhappy skin. This isn’t a huge concern with lady’s mantle but it’s something to take into consideration when using any skincare products.
Even though this ingredient is considered safe in high concentrations, it’s often used in very low amounts.
It’s even safe to consume the herb or extract orally. In fact, the use of alchemilla vulgaris extract is commonly used to help treat PMS and excessive menstrual bleeding in women, among other conditions. That’s why you’ll find it in a variety of products beyond skincare and cosmetics.
Also Known As
Alchemilla vulgaris extract is commonly known as “lady’s mantle” or “lady’s mantle extract.” It’s sometimes also called “parsley piert.” More rarely, it’s called “nine hooks,” “dewcup,” “hairy mantle,” or “bear’s foot.” These terms typically all refer to the same plant, so they’re synonymous with alchemilla vulgaris.
References
- https://www.drugs.com/npp/lady-s-mantle.html
- https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/alchemilla-vulgaris.php
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