Star Anise Extract, a novel ingredient from Sinerga

Posted by Chemlink in Chemlink Lab, Personal Care Products, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Sinerga’s Star Anise Extract is a naturally derived and multifunctional ingredient for greasy and combination skins. It performs five different actions in one, offering good efficacy against blemishes and Propionibacterium acne conditions.

Natural Sources

Star Anise Extract is naturally derived from Star Anise, with a titrated content in Shikimic Acid (≥ 15%). Illicium verum (the botanical name for Star Anise) originated in northeast Vietnam and southwest China, and has long been used as a medicinal plant in Asian countries, with Star Anise itself being commonly used not only as a spice but also in medicine due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

Five Synergistic Key Benefits

The naturally derived Star Anise Extract uniquely provides five key benefits, offering complete action for dull, blemish-prone or acne-prone complexions, yet without irritating or damaging the skin’s hydrolipidic layer. These five key benefits are:

1. It normalises sebum
2. It has exfoliating properties
3. It’s antimicrobial
4. It’s an anti-inflammatory
5. It’s an antioxidant

Application Areas

Star Anise Extract can be used in sebum-normalising formulations, anti-blemish serums, gels and creams, and purifying cleansers.

How Star Anise Extract Works

As mentioned above, Star Anise Extract has five different functions. Its ability to reduce excessive sebum production therefore normalises sebum and prevents hyperseborrhea, whilst its exfoliating properties prevents the obstruction of the pilosebaceous duct. Its antimicrobial tendencies inhibits the proliferation of the Propionibacterium acnes, the gram-positive bacterium that is naturally present in the pilosebaceous unit and is released on the skin surface during the secretion of sebum. Also working as an anti-inflammatory, Star Anise Extract reduces the production of IL 1 alpha and inhibits the Lipase enzyme (whose consequent production of free fatty acids amplifies the inflammatory response), whilst also reducing oxidative stress by inhibiting the formation of free radicals.

Technical Details 

• INCI name: Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract (and) Maltodextrin
• Dosage of 1–3%
• Comes in a powder form, which is soluble in water
• 100% vegetable origin
• GMO, preservative and allergens free
• COSMOS compliant

For more information about formulating with Star Anise Extract or to request a sample, get in touch via our contact form below.