Viscum Album Extract

TL;DR. This ingredient is a botanical extract used mainly as a skin-conditioning and soothing additive. It may also support antioxidant positioning in formulas, but it is not a primary preservative, emulsifier, or surfactant.

What does Viscum Album Extract do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is a botanical extract used mainly as a skin-conditioning and soothing additive. It may also support antioxidant positioning in formulas, but it is not a primary preservative, emulsifier, or surfactant.

Is Viscum Album Extract clean?

It is generally accepted by clean-beauty standards when supplied with appropriate preservative and residual-solvent controls. Like many botanicals, it can contain variable proteins and phenolics, so brands should screen for irritation and sensitization in leave-on formulas.

Is Viscum Album Extract sustainable?

It is plant-derived and typically made by water, glycerin, alcohol, or glycol extraction, so its footprint depends on cultivation, harvesting pressure, and solvent choice. The extractives are expected to be biodegradable, with low concern for environmental persistence.

Is Viscum Album Extract COSMOS-approved?

It can be permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when the plant source, extraction solvent, and preservation system meet the standard. It aligns reasonably well with Green Chemistry when made from renewable feedstock using water, ethanol, glycerin, or other approved low-residue solvents.

How does Viscum Album Extract work chemically?

This material is a complex mixture of water-soluble and solvent-extractable plant constituents, including polyphenols, sugars, amino acids, and trace proteins depending on the extraction method. It is usually added in low percentages as a pre-diluted extract, and formulation stability depends more on the carrier solvent, preservative system, and microbial quality than on a single defined molecule.

Last updated 2026-05-13