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Rosemary Leaf Extract

What Rosemary Leaf Extract is & what it does

A rosemary extract rich in antioxidants that helps protect skin and balance oil while toning. It also offers mild purifying benefits.

What is Rosemary Leaf Extract and what does it do in sunscreen?

Rosemary Leaf Extract is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant. It is rich in natural antioxidants, which help protect the skin and the formula itself from free-radical and oxidative stress. It also has mild purifying and oil-balancing properties, so it can suit oilier skin. In a sunscreen it acts as a plant-based supporting ingredient rather than a sun filter.

Is Rosemary Leaf Extract safe?

Yes, for most people. Rosemary is a long-used plant extract with a good tolerability record in skin care, and it appears here at the small levels typical of botanical additives. As with any botanical, a small number of people can be sensitive to plant extracts, so very reactive skin should patch test. For the general user it is well tolerated.

Is Rosemary Leaf Extract an antioxidant?

Yes. Its main value in a formula is as a source of antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize free radicals from sun and pollution. This can support the skin and also help keep the oils in the product from going off. It works alongside the UV filters rather than replacing any of their protection.

Does Rosemary Leaf Extract clog pores?

Generally no. It is a water- or solvent-based plant extract used in small amounts, not a rich oil, so it is not considered a pore-clogging ingredient. Its mild oil-balancing character actually tends to suit oilier skin. If a product breaks you out, the heavier emollients are the more likely cause.

Is Rosemary Leaf Extract natural and vegan?

Yes. It is derived directly from the rosemary plant, so it is plant-based and naturally suitable for vegan formulas. The leaves are processed to draw out their antioxidant-rich compounds. Being natural in origin does not by itself make it stronger or safer than a synthetic, but it is a genuine botanical.

Sunscreens with Rosemary Leaf Extract

We rate 358 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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