You’ve likely heard of ingredients including Vitamin C, retinoids and peptides, ingredients essential to great skin, but have you heard of alpha bisabolol?
Alpha bisabolol, often shortened to bisabolol, is also known as levomenol, a naturally occurring compound that is the primary constituent of the essential oil from German chamomile. Bisabolol may also be manufactured synthetically, where it is chemically identical to that found in nature. It’s one of those ingredients that is a heavy hitter when it comes to skin care yet sits quietly in the background doing its thing, without drawing much attention to itself.
Alpha Bisabolol has been shown to have anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial features. It also can help to increase the absorption of certain ingredients. It is high in panthenol, a B vitamin, which assists with helping to heal and moisturize skin and hair. For centuries, bisabolol has been used in skin care preparations due to its healing properties. And, it’s weak, sweet floral aroma makes it a useful addition to fragrances.
What does Alpha Bisabolol Do?
Historically, people have used alpha bisabolol medicinally for its anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. In cosmetics, it performs as a skin conditioning agent where it enhances the appearance of dehydrated or damaged skin by reducing dryness and flakiness and restoring suppleness. Because of its high panthenol concentration, it can effectively stimulate and promote the skin’s healing process and encourage healthy hair growth.
Its ability to enhance the penetration of other cosmetics ingredients makes it a useful addition to treatments that contain other actives including antioxidants, peptides and retinoids. Its skin soothing and anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial not only when it comes to wound healing, but also in calming irritated skin. Because it has so many beneficial traits, you can find alpha bisabolol in a range of products including serums, moisturizers, sunscreens, cleansers, and makeup.
I’m a big fan of this ingredient and if it were possible, I may want to include it in everything! For now, look for it in our A is for Anti-Aging Serum, where it’s included for its anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and skin soothing properties.
