Alpha bisabolol is a fantastic skincare ingredient that isn’t very well-known. But what about chamomile? Bisabolol is one of the key components in chamomile that helps it soothe and calm the skin.
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This plant-based ingredient is in serums, moisturizers, and products that help calm skin conditions such as acne. Since bisabolol offers healing, soothing, and calming benefits, it’s in many types of skincare and cosmetic products.
Want to learn more about what makes this ingredient so useful?
What Is Alpha Bisabolol?
Alpha bisabolol, or simply bisabolol, is a type of terpene alcohol in the German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) plant, as well as the figwort (Myoporum crassifolium) plant. It also is present on the Candeia (Vanillosmopsis erythropappa) tree of Brazil, which is where most of the world’s production of alpha bisabolol comes from today. Bisabolol is also called levomenol.
However, this ingredient can also be crafted in the lab, and this is becoming more popular to help prevent Brazilian rainforest deforestation. Alpha bisabolol is a clear and colorless, viscous oil that has a mild floral aroma. Due to the various benefits of alpha bisabolol for skin, it is in various skincare and cosmetics products.
Alpha Bisabolol Benefits for Skin
Want to know why bisabolol is in so many skincare and cosmetic products? This natural ingredient helps soothe and calm unhappy, irritated skin. It promotes skin healing and can also help other ingredients better penetrate the skin. This combination makes alpha bisabolol a great option for acne treatment products, moisturizers, and anti aging serums and creams. It is also popular in makeup products designed for acne and blemish-prone skin.
Alpha bisabolol is most known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, and antimicrobial properties. Let’s take a deeper look at the bisabolol skin benefits:
Penetration Enhancer
Alpha bisabolol is a penetration enhancer. This means that its unique chemical makeup helps it penetrate more deeply into the skin, delivering other nutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and hydrating products further into the skin. This, in turn, enhances the effectiveness of various skincare products.
Anti-irritant & anti-inflammatory properties
Alpha bisabolol can help soothe skin irritation and inflammation, and has analgesic (pain-relieving) properties, making it a common choice for soothing lotions, creams, and moisturizers. This also makes bisabolol appealing for acne treatment products.
Stimulates & promotes skin healing
This ingredient may help stimulate the skin’s natural healing processes, including collagen turnover.
Sun protectant properties
Alpha bisabolol alone is not enough to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. But it works well with other skin protectant ingredients in sunscreens and “after-sun” products, because it helps protect against sun damage and stimulates healing after UV exposure.
Is Alpha Bisabolol Vegan?
Alpha bisabolol in skin care is vegan since it’s derived from plants. However, if you are eco-conscious, avoid products that contain Brazilian alpha bisabolol. Ingredients derived from figwort and German chamomile are preferred, as is lab-made alpha bisabolol for skincare. They offer the same benefits and do not contribute to the deforestation of rainforests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Also Known As
Alpha bisabolol is also sometimes just called bisabolol, for short. This ingredient is also called levomenol or D-alpha-Bisabolol. Depending on the manufacturer, any of these names may be used in the labeling and product packaging of skin care products.
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