SOOTHING
Bisabolol
Alpha-bisabolol, the calming compound found in chamomile, long valued in cosmetic chemistry for its gentle, well-tolerated feel on skin, including sensitive skin.
Source
Chamomile and candeia essential oils, or made synthetically
Used for
Comfort for sensitive-feeling skin
How it works
Alpha-bisabolol is a sesquiterpene alcohol found in chamomile essential oil, and one of cosmetic chemistry's longest-standing calming ingredients, valued for well over half a century for its gentle, comforting character.
Studies on skin bear out its well-established reputation for being exceptionally gentle and well tolerated, even with repeated, leave-on application.
This tolerability is why bisabolol is so widely used in formulations for sensitive skin: it's included less as an active ingredient in its own right and more as a dependable, gentle presence that helps a formula feel comfortable, however it's combined with other actives.
Studies on skin bear out its well-established reputation for being exceptionally gentle and well tolerated, even with repeated, leave-on application.
This tolerability is why bisabolol is so widely used in formulations for sensitive skin: it's included less as an active ingredient in its own right and more as a dependable, gentle presence that helps a formula feel comfortable, however it's combined with other actives.
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Naturally derived from chamomile
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One of cosmetic chemistry's longest-established calming ingredients
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Exceptionally gentle and well tolerated, even with repeated application
Questions
What is bisabolol?
Bisabolol, or alpha-bisabolol, is an important component of chamomile essential oil. In skincare it is valued as a skin-conditioning and soothing ingredient that helps skin and scalp feel comfortable, and it also has a fragrance role. It appears in products such as after-sun care and cosmetics for sensitive skin. (COSMILE Europe)
Where does bisabolol come from?
Alpha-bisabolol was first described as a component of German chamomile, and it is found in especially rich amounts in the oil of candeia, a Brazilian tree. The bisabolol used in cosmetics may be of plant or synthetic origin. (Alves Gomes Albertti et al., 2018; COSMILE Europe)
Is there research on bisabolol on skin?
Yes. In a human study bisabolol was applied directly to skin and caused no adverse reactions, in keeping with its long reputation for being gentle and well tolerated. In skincare it is valued as a skin-conditioning and soothing ingredient. (Werner et al., 2017; COSMILE Europe)
Where it comes from
German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) native across a broad area from North Africa and Europe through western and central Asia to Siberia, China and the Indian subcontinent, and it is now cultivated widely. Bisabolol is an important component of its essential oil, and chamomile has been one of the best-known traditional plants for centuries. (USDA GRIN; COSMILE Europe)
The candeia tree, Eremanthus erythropappus, grows in the cerrado regions of Brazil, and its essential oil is especially rich in alpha-bisabolol. (Alves Gomes Albertti et al., 2018)
The candeia tree, Eremanthus erythropappus, grows in the cerrado regions of Brazil, and its essential oil is especially rich in alpha-bisabolol. (Alves Gomes Albertti et al., 2018)
The research
- Werner M, Herling M, Garbe B, Theek C, Tronnier H, Heinrich U, Braun N. Determination of the Influence of the Antiphlogistic Ingredients Panthenol and Bisabolol on the SPF Value in vivo. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2017;30(6):284-291. PMID: 28972949. (opens in a new tab)
- COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe) cosmetic ingredient database: Bisabolol (functions: fragrance, skin conditioning, soothing; origin: synthetic/plant) (opens in a new tab)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Global). Matricaria chamomilla L. (German chamomile), taxonomy and native distribution (opens in a new tab)
- Alves Gomes Albertti L, Delatte TL, Souza de Farias K, Galdi Boaretto A, Verstappen F, van Houwelingen A, Cankar K, Carollo CA, Bouwmeester HJ, Beekwilder J. Identification of the Bisabolol Synthase in the Endangered Candeia Tree (Eremanthus erythropappus (DC) McLeisch). Frontiers in Plant Science, 2018. PMID: 30294334 (opens in a new tab)
