Extract

What Extract is & what it does

"Extract" is a generic label rather than a specific botanical ingredient, and on an ingredient list it usually indicates that the full source plant or material was not specified. In cosmetic formulas extracts in general are used as skin-conditioning agents and to deliver the beneficial compounds of their source material. Because the exact origin is unclear here, it is hard to describe a single property, so the specific named extract on a product's label is the best guide to its role.

What does Extract do in skincare?

"Extract" on its own is a generic term rather than a specific ingredient, and it usually means the source material was not fully specified on the label. In general, plant and other extracts are used as skin-conditioning agents and to deliver their source's beneficial compounds. The specific named extract on a product's ingredient list is the best guide to what it actually does.

Is Extract natural or synthetic?

Because "Extract" here does not name a source, its nature cannot be determined from the label alone. Extracts are commonly derived from plants or other natural materials, but processing methods vary. To know whether a given extract is natural or synthetic, you need the specific, fully named ingredient.

Sunscreens with Extract

We rate 19 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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