Active Aqueous Extract of Horse Chestnut, Organic, 50 ml

# Horse chestnut active aqueous extract, organic

Horse chestnut active aqueous extract, organic, brings horse chestnut seed extract (Aesculus hippocastanum) into the water phase of your formulation. In cosmetics, this ingredient is used mainly in foot care products and in eye area care. It is supplied as a ready-made, water-soluble extract with COSMOS Organic certification. It is added cold to serums, toners, gels and creams, as well as to rinse-off body and hair products.

The extract is intended for products for sensitive, problematic and mature skin and is equally suitable for leave-on and rinse-off products. The manufacturer lists it for the face, body, feet and the eye area.

Key features

• Foot care products – horse chestnut is a staple ingredient of foot gels and creams; the extract is dosed into the water phase and does not weigh down the texture with an oil component.
• Eye area – the manufacturer states that it is suitable for the eye area too, so the extract can be used in light eye serums and gels.
• Water-based – it is added directly to the water phase without pre-mixing, without a solubiliser and without heating.
• Compatibility with surfactants – it tolerates anionic, non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants, so it suits shampoos, shower gels and bath products.
• Organic certification and biodegradability – COSMOS Organic certificate, readily biodegradable (OECD 301), free from raw materials of animal origin, not tested on animals.

Use in formulations

The recommended usage rate is 1–10% of the formulation weight. The lower end is enough to enrich a facial toner or a shampoo. A higher usage rate is used in targeted foot care products or eye gels, where horse chestnut is meant to be the main active ingredient.

The extract is processed at a temperature of up to 40 °C. In an emulsion, therefore, add it only to the cooled cream, while stirring continuously. In serums and toners, mix it straight into the water phase cold. In gels, add it only after the gelling agent has fully swollen, so that the structure of the gel is not disturbed.

The finished product should have an acidic to neutral pH, which is the range in which the compatibility of the extract has been verified. No data are available for alkaline systems, so its behaviour in them must be tested.

Suitable for products such as

• Foot gels and creams – the most typical use, where the extract is dosed at a higher percentage.
• Eye serums and gels – light water-based textures for the eye area without an oil component.
• Facial toners and serums – leave-on care for sensitive and problematic skin.
• Shower gels, bath products and shampoos – tolerance of common surfactants allows its use in rinse-off body and hair formulations too.
• Body lotions and light emulsions – as a supporting active ingredient in the water phase.

Good to know

The extract is preserved, but the preservatives in it protect only the raw material itself. The finished water-based product must be preserved separately according to its composition and pH.

The extract is not suitable for anhydrous and purely oil-based formulations, because it is an aqueous solution.

The effect on the colour, odour and clarity of the finished product depends on the usage rate and on the rest of the formulation. Before making a larger batch, we recommend preparing a test sample and checking its stability, especially in combination with other plant extracts and the preservative system.

Frequently asked questions