Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract

TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning botanical extract, mainly to support a calmer feel and add light humectant, film-forming benefits from plant polysaccharides and related constituents.

What does Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning botanical extract, mainly to support a calmer feel and add light humectant, film-forming benefits from plant polysaccharides and related constituents.

Is Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract clean?

From a clean-beauty perspective, it is natural-origin but not automatically unproblematic because the source plant can contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Better-quality use depends on controlled extraction, impurity testing, and appropriate placement away from high-exposure or compromised-skin formulas.

Is Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract sustainable?

This material is plant-derived and typically extracted with water, glycerin, alcohol, or blends of these solvents, so its base sustainability profile can be reasonable. It is expected to be biodegradable, with the main variables being agricultural sourcing, solvent choice, and documentation around contaminant control.

Is Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract COSMOS-approved?

It can be permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic when the botanical source, extraction solvents, and processing steps meet the standard. Its Green Chemistry fit is moderate to good when renewable feedstock and benign solvents are used, but quality controls for naturally occurring alkaloids are an important caveat.

How does Symphytum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract work chemically?

The molecule set is a complex botanical mixture rather than a single compound, commonly including mucilage polysaccharides, allantoin, phenolic acids, tannins, and trace alkaloids depending on extraction. Typical cosmetic use is often around 0.5% to 5% of a supplied extract, and aqueous versions need preservation while phenolic components may darken with oxidation over time.

Last updated 2026-05-13