By Dr. Lian Li 

Why Should you add alpha-bisabolol to your formula?

What is Alpha-bisabolol?

α-Bisabolol is one of the important monocyclic sesquiterpenes, derived naturally from essential oils of many edible and ornamental plants. It was first obtained from Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as Chamomile or German Chamomile. It carries a mild, sweet, and floral scent. 

This remarkable source of this ingredient used in cosmetics is extracted from the bark of a tree called Candeia (Vanillosmopsis erythroplasia) in Brazil. It is a natural and sustainable ingredient and is loved by consumers.

Why do I call bisabolol an actual 5-star ingredient?

Alpha-bisabolol is a fascinating ingredient. It never ceases to amaze me how well it works after hundreds of formulas I have created through the years. This one ingredient offers multiple quality skin benefits you can hardly find in any other single ingredient.  If possible, I would use it in all the formulas I create. Now I can. You will know why.

Because of its cosmeceutical qualities, you can formulate a product with just this key ingredient in your formula, and you can count on your product's performance. It has become a secret weapon for many formulators. 

What makes Bisabolol so unique?

1. Anti-inflammatory property

Studies have shown that Bisabolol can significantly inhibit the production of inflammatory mediators. "In-vitro and in-vivo toxicity profiles indicate that it is safe for topical application on the skin. Molecular docking study also revealed its strong binding affinity to the active site of the pro-inflammatory proteins."

This is the formulator's most favorite quality because: 

-- It can reduce the skin irritation caused by cosmetic products

-- It reduces the existing skin inflammatory conditions

-- It slows down skin aging by inhibiting inflammatory aging chain reactions caused by adverse environmental influences, such as UV lights and high-energy visible light (HEV). 

2. Anti Skin Aging Properties

Everybody knows how well bisabolol works as an anti-inflammatory agent, but most of us ignore its other qualities. I think this is because the anti-inflammatory effect can be seen in a few applications, and other benefits take time to show. This is the case for all skincare ingredients, right? I want to stress that alpha-bisabolol is also a powerful anti-aging agent. 

Yes, it is. This quality is scientifically proven. Its anti-aging effects are mainly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

As a powerful antioxidant, alpha-bisabolol can prevent skin damage by neutralizing free radicals from both internal and external sources. 

Inflammation is the primary cause of aging, if not THE only cause. We can only discuss anti-aging skincare if we discuss inflammation first. Alpha-bisabolol slows down skin aging by inhibiting skin inflammation formation and inflammatory damage.

3. Skin Brightening Properties

These skincare benefits are also related to its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It works exceptionally well with skin hyperpigmentation related to inflammation, such as eczema, melasma, acne, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and sunspots. One thing we will always keep in mind is that inflammation is also a major cause of almost all types of hyperpigmentation.

4. Antimicrobial Properties

Alpha-bisabolol is a natural antimicrobial agent. It is fungicidal and bactericidal, meaning it kills fungus and batteries. The antimicrobial effect is believed to be mediated by inhibiting the viability of infected cells and improving cognitive function via downregulating some enzyme activities and upregulating bcl-2 levels. One study showed that combining alpha-bisabolol and tea tree oil has a dose-dependent synergistic effect on some selected oral microbes. Unfortunately, they didn't test on other microbes, such as P.Acne.

There are still more properties to this miracle ingredient than those mentioned above. They are less significant, but still, good extra benefits added to your formula. You can do your own research to learn more.

Why should you add this ingredient to our formulas?

As a cosmetic chemist, the most important thing to avoid is adverse skin reactions. We should avoid them at all costs because the consequences can be devastating and expensive.

One of the major strategies most formulators use to reduce adverse skin reactions is to add anti-irritation ingredients. If used properly, this will dramatically reduce the rate of skin irritation and protect the skin from damage by your products. This is especially true if you use multiple active or mild irritating ingredients in your formula. Alpha-bisabolol can dramatically reduce the rate of adverse skin reactions while providing multiple skin benefits to your customers. It is a win-win situation.

If you are looking for a plant-derived ingredient with anti-inflammatory, healing properties, antioxidant, anti-aging, skin-brightening properties, and antimicrobial functions, wouldn't alpha-bisabolol be ideal?

Another reason I like it is because it gives the product a pleasant, neutral, and sweet scent without actually adding fragrance. According to market research, if you put two products in front of the consumer, one with fragrance and one without, guess which one the majority will choose? The one with fragrance. 

How to use bisabolol in your formula?

Oil-soluble Alpha-bisabolol is excellent for oil-containing formulas. I have been using its oil-soluble form for many, many years. But now I'm excited to learn that dermafactors.com has started offering water-soluble alpha-bisabolol. It works the same, except it doesn't add any scent to your products. The water-soluble form makes this ingredient so easy to use in serums and essences. 

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