Arbutus Unedo Fruit Extract

Arbutus unedo fruit extract comes from a fruit known as arbutus berry. The tree, commonly known as a madrone, is also referred to as the strawberry tree because of the berry’s resemblance to strawberries (though they are not related plants).

Although not commonly used in cosmetics, arbutus berry is a rich source of a variety of polyphenols that have high antioxidant capacity, making it a good choice for fighting pro-ageing free-radical damage. Studies also demonstrate that Arbutus unedo fruit extract is a tyrosinase inhibitor, meaning it impacts the effect of tyrosinase, an enzyme that plays a role in skin discolorations.

As this entry was being worked on, use levels for this plant extract haven’t been established; however, similar extracts are used in concentrations of 0.01–0.1% when in pure form, and up to 5% when included in an aqueous base.