Bisabolol skin benefits: how soothing it and chamomile really are for sensitive skin

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

What is bisabolol and what does it have to do with chamomile?

Bisabolol is a single compound from the group of sesquiterpene alcohols and was first isolated from German chamomile. A review in the journal Nutrients describes alpha-bisabolol as a component of the essential oils of many plants, first obtained from Matricaria chamomilla, known as true or German chamomile. Chamomile itself belongs to the daisy family, botanically Asteraceae or Compositae. A review in Molecular Medicine Reports distinguishes between two common types, German and Roman chamomile, and attributes the properties of the dried flowers to a mixture of terpenoids and flavonoids. So bisabolol is only one part of what chamomile contains, alongside compounds such as chamazulene and the flavonoid apigenin.

In cosmetics, bisabolol no longer comes only from chamomile flowers. According to the review in Nutrients, it makes up the bulk of the oil of the Brazilian candeia tree, and it can also be produced synthetically. Whatever the source, the ingredient list simply says “Bisabolol”. What this means for you: “chamomile” on the packaging and bisabolol in the INCI list are not the same thing, even if marketing likes to lump the two together.

How soothing is bisabolol for skin, according to studies?

According to studies, the soothing effect of bisabolol on skin is less well established than its reputation suggests. The review in Nutrients lists plenty of effects, but notes that the research was mostly carried out on cell lines or in animal models and that further studies are needed before use in humans can be discussed. Something that dampens inflammatory messengers in a cell culture will not necessarily do the same in a cream on your skin.

One revealing study comes from the dermatology department at Odense University Hospital and was published in Contact Dermatitis. The researchers repeatedly irritated the forearm skin of healthy volunteers with sodium lauryl sulphate and nonanoic acid, then tested ointments containing so-called anti-irritants – additives meant to counteract irritation – including (-)-alpha-bisabolol and glycerin. Only the glycerin ointment performed statistically better than both no treatment and the ointment base without any additive. That does not mean bisabolol is useless. It means that a clear effect in humans has not yet been properly demonstrated.

Chamomile extract, chamomile oil or isolated bisabolol: what is the difference?

Chamomile extract, chamomile oil and isolated bisabolol differ mainly in how many plant compounds they bring with them. An extract from the flowers is a complex mixture whose composition depends on the plant, the solvent and the processing. Chamomile oil is an essential oil, in other words a fragrant distillate. Freshly distilled, German chamomile oil is blue to deep green in colour, mainly because of chamazulene – hence the term azulene that appears on some labels. According to the review in Molecular Medicine Reports, chamomile essential oils are widely used in cosmetics and aromatherapy. Isolated bisabolol, by contrast, is a single purified compound without the rest of the plant.

For sensitive skin, that is a relevant difference: the more accompanying compounds, the more potential triggers. What fragrant oils generally mean for reactive skin is covered in our article on essential oils in skincare. All that matters here is the distinction: chamomile oil in the INCI list is something different from bisabolol, and if you avoid fragrance, read the two terms separately.

Natural or synthetic bisabolol: which is in your cream?

The ingredient list will not tell you whether your cream contains natural or synthetic bisabolol, because both go by the same name. Natural bisabolol is obtained from chamomile flowers or from the oil of the candeia tree. Chamomile and candeia mainly supply one specific form, (-)-alpha-bisabolol, which is also the form tested in the Odense study. Synthetically produced bisabolol, on the other hand, is usually a mixture of mirror-image forms. If the label says “natural bisabolol”, that is a manufacturer’s claim you cannot verify from the INCI list.

As far as tolerance goes, the source alone is not a mark of quality. “Natural” sounds gentler, but depending on purity it may carry traces of other plant compounds. “Synthetic” sounds more artificial, but on its own it says just as little about how well your skin will cope with it. If the source matters to you for other reasons, such as cultivation and sustainability, the only option is to ask the manufacturer. What ultimately counts for your skin is the formula as a whole: fragrance, ethanol and a long ingredient list usually affect tolerance more than the question of where a single soothing ingredient comes from.

Who should be careful with chamomile and bisabolol?

The people who most need to be careful are those with a known allergy to the daisy family and those with eczema. Besides chamomile, the daisy family includes arnica, calendula, chrysanthemums and mugwort, for example. According to a review in Contact Dermatitis, the main allergens in this plant family are sesquiterpene lactones. In European allergy test series, an average of around 1 per cent of the people tested react to the sesquiterpene lactone mix used for this purpose. The review in Molecular Medicine Reports also notes that people who are sensitive to ragweed, chrysanthemums or other members of the daisy family are more likely to develop a contact allergy to chamomile.

Chemically, isolated bisabolol is not a sesquiterpene lactone but a sesquiterpene alcohol. That does not automatically make it harmless: in a case series in the journal Dermatitis, four out of seven children who could not tolerate a particular skincare ointment – six of whom had atopic eczema – reacted in patch testing to both the ointment and the bisabolol it contained. If you have a daisy-family allergy or eczema, it is best to discuss new chamomile or bisabolol products with your dermatologist. Without a known allergy, it is usually enough to patch test the new skincare at home before a new product goes on your whole face.

When does bisabolol help, and when is a short routine without it enough?

Bisabolol is most likely to help as a well-tolerated supporting ingredient in a formula that is gentle to begin with, and in most cases a short routine without it does just as well. More important than any single soothing ingredient are the basics, in other words what sensitive skin needs and what to leave out: few irritants, no fragrance, and moisture and lipids for the barrier. For soothing, there are ingredients with more solid data in humans, such as panthenol as a soothing ingredient for skin, or glycerin, which in the Odense study was the only additive to perform statistically better than both no treatment and the plain ointment base. If you are looking for a plant-based alternative, you will find an honest assessment of centella asiatica for irritated skin.

You can keep a bisabolol product if your skin tolerates it well and it does not duplicate a step in your routine. There is no need to buy anything new because of it. Incidentally, The Duo of serum and cream contains neither bisabolol nor chamomile extract. Aloe vera is the base of both products, and The Duo also contains panthenol, glycerin, 5% niacinamide and ceramide NP, which support the skin barrier – fragrance-free and without essential oils. In her review on Judge.me, Carmen writes: “My skin tolerates the serum very well, even though I am very sensitive” (review translated from German). That is one person’s experience, not proof. But it fits the thinking behind it: sensitive skin does not necessarily need a soothing ingredient of its own from chamomile.

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