MELISSA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT

📋 Quick facts

Description: MELISSA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT — soothing, antimicrobial (Lemon Balm).

All Functions: soothing, antimicrobial (Lemon Balm)

Quick Facts:

• Category: active

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Melissa officinalis extract shows antioxidant activity in lab tests
• The extract contains phenolic compounds and flavonoids, which are plant chemicals with antioxidant properties
• Research has tested the extract in fibrous materials designed for cosmetic and biomedical use
• Current evidence comes from lab studies; human skin studies are not included in available research

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

Derived from this ingredient’s irritancy potential and comedogenicity rating against the needs of each skin type — e.g. oily and acne-prone skin are marked down for pore-clogging ingredients, sensitive skin for irritants. A starting heuristic, not a dermatological verdict.

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Melissa officinalis, commonly known as lemon balm, is a plant extract that researchers have been investigating for skincare applications. Here’s what the current research shows:

#1: Antioxidant activity — When melissa officinalis extract was incorporated into polymer fibers (a way to deliver ingredients to skin), it demonstrated strong antioxidant activity as measured by the DPPH free radical test, with antioxidant activity reducing DPPH radical levels by 88.7% to 91% depending on the fiber composition (Polymers (Basel), 2023). In a separate study, a 70% ethanolic extract of the plant showed antioxidant capacity with an IC50 value of 16.8±1.41 μg/ml, meaning this was the concentration needed to achieve 50% antioxidant effect in their test system (Pak J Pharm Sci, 2024).

Antioxidants are molecules that help protect against free radical damage, a process associated with skin aging. #2: Chemical composition — The melissa officinalis extract studied contained substantial amounts of phenolic compounds (225.76±4.1 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (22.36±2.6 mg RUT/g), which are naturally occurring plant chemicals known for their antioxidant properties (Pak J Pharm Sci, 2024). Important limitations: Both sources describe laboratory research. The Polymers study tested the extract in fiber materials rather than in a traditional skincare formula or on human skin. The Pak J Pharm Sci study investigated the extract’s effects on cancer cells and antioxidant capacity in test tubes, not on skin.

Neither source provides evidence from human clinical trials on skin efficacy or safety.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Stoyanova N et al. (2023). Electrospun PLA-Based Biomaterials Loaded with Melissa officinalis Extract with Strong Antioxidant Activity. Polymers (Basel).
• A Hashim A et al. (2024). Antitumor activity and phenolic profile of Melissa officinalis extract against human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Pak J Pharm Sci.

🧴 Products Containing MELISSA OFFICINALIS EXTRACT

• Ciel Azur Denticlay Dentifrice Argile Citron – 75 ML – Ciel D’Azur
• The saem Aloe smoothing gel
• Styx Kräutergarten Haar-Balsam mit Melisse und Hopfen