Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Details
If life gives the cosmetic industry lemon, it makes lemon fruit extract. As to why, we can write here extremely similar things to our shiny description of orange fruit extract. Being both of them citruses, they contain very similar active compounds with very similar (potential) effects on the skin.
Just like orange fruit, lemon fruit also contains citric acid so it is commonly used as a natural, mild exfoliating agent. If this is the case, it is usually combined with other AHA containing fruit extracts such as bilberry, sugar cane, orange, and sugar maple in a super popular ingredient mix trade named ACB Fruit Mix.
But, citrus fruits are chemically complex mixtures with a bunch of other active components such as vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolics, carbohydrates and essential oil (this latter one coming from the rind of the fruit, but still present in some amount in the fruit extract). These have the potential to give lemon extract antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-dandruff, venotonic and moisturizing properties, but the essential oil also brings some questionable compounds such as fragrance allergen limonene or phototoxic compound bergaptene. If your skin is sensitive, be careful with citrus extracts.
Show me some proof
- Del Rıo, J. A., et al. "Citrus limon: a source of flavonoids of pharmaceutical interest." Food Chemistry 84.3 (2004): 457-461.
- González-Molina, E., et al. "Natural bioactive compounds of Citrus limon for food and health." Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 51.2 (2010): 327-345.
- Provital, LEMON (FRUIT) EXTRACT H.G, Extended technical documentation