Rosemary CO2-to Extract, Organic, 50 ml

Rosemary CO2-to extract, organic

Rosemary CO2-to extract, organic is added to cosmetics primarily as an antioxidant. It slows the oxidation of vegetable oils, butters and the whole oil phase, so the finished product takes longer to go rancid and keeps its scent. It is also used as an active ingredient with an antioxidant effect on the skin, especially in leave-on products for mature skin.

The base is an extract from rosemary leaves obtained by carbon dioxide extraction, diluted in sunflower oil in a ratio of approximately 65% extract and 35% oil. The oil carrier makes it easier to measure a very small amount, even in home-made batches. Both ingredients come from organic farming.

Key benefits

• Protection of oils against oxidation – unsaturated oils (flaxseed, hemp, rosehip, cranberry and others) quickly lose quality. Rosemary extract slows oxidation and extends the time during which the product stays free of a rancid smell.
• Antioxidant effect on the skin – in leave-on products it works as an ingredient with an antioxidant and anti-ageing effect. It is well suited to mature skin care in combination with oils, butters and other active ingredients.
• Low usage rate – the recommended range is 0.02–1%, so one pack lasts for a large number of batches.
• Alcohol compatibility – it can also be used in formulations that contain ethanol alongside the oil component.

Use in a formulation

The extract is oil-soluble and not water-soluble. It belongs in the oil phase and is incorporated into oils, butters, wax balms or the oil part of an emulsion. Without an oil component, it is not suitable for purely water-based products such as toners or hydrogels.

The recommended processing temperature is up to 40 °C. In anhydrous products, it is therefore added only to the cooled oil mixture. In balms, it is added after the waxes and butters have melted, once the mixture drops below this temperature but has not yet set. In emulsions, it is not added to the heated oil phase before emulsification, but only during cooling. It is enough to premix it with a small amount of oil from the recipe and stir it into the emulsion at a temperature below 40 °C.

Measure it precisely, for small batches ideally on a scale with a resolution of 0.01 g. For percentages close to the lower limit, it makes sense to prepare a dilution in oil from the recipe and dose from that.

Suitable for products such as

• Face oils and oil serums – especially blends with a higher share of unsaturated oils, which quickly lose their scent and quality without an antioxidant.
• Body and massage oils – larger packs take longer to use up, so protecting the oil phase matters here.
• Balms, body butters and solid sticks – it is added after the mixture has melted and partially cooled.
• Face and body creams and lotions – in leave-on emulsions it protects the oil phase and at the same time acts as an antioxidant active ingredient for mature skin.
• Oil-based products containing alcohol – alcohol compatibility allows its use in these blends as well.

The extract is intended for leave-on face and body products.

Good to know

Scent. The extract carries the natural herbal scent of rosemary. At a low usage rate for protecting oils, it stays in the background of the finished product; at the upper end of the range, you need to take it into account when choosing a fragrance composition.

Allergens. The raw material contains one or more fragrance allergens listed in Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, including Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545. In finished cosmetics, they must be taken into account in the labelling. The product also contains volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Stability and testing. The protective effect depends on the composition of the oil blend, the usage rate, the packaging and exposure to light and air, so it cannot be expressed by a universal figure. With a new recipe, compare a sample with and without the antioxidant after several weeks.

Frequently asked questions