SALIX ALBA BARK EXTRACT

📋 Quick facts

Description: SALIX ALBA BARK EXTRACT — natural source of salicin, mild exfoliant and anti-inflammatory (Willow Bark).

All Functions: natural source of salicin, mild exfoliant and anti-inflammatory (Willow Bark)

Quick Facts:

• Category: active

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Salix alba (white willow) bark extract is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins—compounds with antioxidant properties
• In lab studies, the extract showed antibacterial activity and anti-inflammatory effects
• A clinical trial found that a cream with 2% Salix alba bark extract improved dark circles, skin microcirculation, and elasticity over 8 weeks
• The extract’s main active component is salicin, a precursor to aspirin-like compounds
• At very high concentrations in lab tests, the extract reduced cell viability; normal skincare use is far below these levels

📊 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

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Salix alba bark extract contains a complex mix of bioactive compounds. Researchers identified multiple phenolic compounds including salicin, salicylic acid, and several others (J Toxicol Environ Health A, 2019). The extract’s polyphenol content varies depending on how it’s made—microwave-assisted extraction with ethanol yielded the highest levels of phenolics, tannins, and flavonoids (Plants (Basel), 2023). #1: Antioxidant capacity: The most potent extracts showed strong free-radical-scavenging ability in lab assays, with particularly low IC50 values (a measure of potency) in two standard tests—12 µg/mL for DPPH and 16 µg/mL for ABTS (Plants (Basel), 2023). For context, lower IC50 values mean greater antioxidant power.

#2: Antibacterial activity: In laboratory conditions, Salix alba bark extract demonstrated antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria including S. aureus and P. aeruginosa (Plants (Basel), 2023). This was an in vitro (test-tube) finding and doesn’t necessarily translate directly to skin application. #3: Anti-inflammatory effects: The extract showed anti-inflammatory properties in lab assays (Plants (Basel), 2023). In a more skin-specific context, when human skin cells (fibroblasts) were treated with the extract, they produced more hyaluronic acid—a moisturizing molecule—and this indirectly improved vascular integrity in endothelial cells, reducing inflammatory permeability (Int J Cosmet Sci, 2023). #4: Dark circles improvement: In a clinical trial with 29 people using a 2% Salix alba bark extract cream for 8 weeks, researchers measured improvements in dark circles, skin microcirculation, and elasticity (Int J Cosmet Sci, 2023).

The mechanism appears linked to better blood vessel health and reduced fluid leakage beneath the eye—areas prone to darkening from blood stasis. #5: Acetylcholinesterase inhibition: The extract showed enzyme-inhibitory activity in lab tests, though this property’s relevance to skincare is unclear (Plants (Basel), 2023). Safety note: High concentrations of the extract (200 µg/mL and above) reduced cell viability in lab tests, though low genotoxic activity appeared at lower concentrations (50–100 µg/mL) in leukocytes (J Toxicol Environ Health A, 2019). These are far higher than typical skincare formulations, and the extract did not show marked DNA-damaging effects in the cell types tested.

📄 Related Research

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

• Aleman RS et al. (2023). Effect of Microwave and Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction on the Phytochemical and In Vitro Biological Properties of Willow (Salix alba) Bark Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts. Plants (Basel).
• Jeon S et al. (2023). The effect of Salix alba L. bark extract on dark circles in vitro and in vivo. Int J Cosmet Sci.
• Maistro EL et al. (2019). Salix alba (white willow) medicinal plant presents genotoxic effects in human cultured leukocytes. J Toxicol Environ Health A.

🧴 Products Containing SALIX ALBA BARK EXTRACT

• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Luxe, The Body Shop ginger scalp serum
• Benessence, Natura srl Shampoo antiforfora
• Deliplus hidratacion y suavidad desodorante roll-on
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Luxe, The Body Shop Tea Tree skin clearing foaming cleanser
• Nat&Nove Shampooing antipelliculaire
• Pur Aloé Crème réparatrice aloe vera 70%
• ciel d’azur shampooing cheveux gras Argile et romarin
• Reference Masque Purifiant
• alverde Handcreme It,s cold outside vanille weidenrinde
• The co operative Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser
• Asepxia gel secativo seca cravos e espinhas
• Edenens Edenens Nectar Purifiant Crème Sébo régulatrice
• Ariana & Evans Spartacus
• Salustar Toallitas desmaquillantes
• L’Oréal, L’Oreal Consumer products, Garnier PureActive sensitive limpiador sin jabón