Elderberry: A Quick Overview

Elderberry in its natural form is a dark purple berry from the black elder tree (Source). In regards to skincare, elderberry as an ingredient has grown in popularity with the rise of the use of fruit extracts in clean skincare. Elderberry is considered a superfruit as it is a clean ingredient that offers powerful benefits when used in skincare! Most commonly elderberry is used as a clean alternative to traditional (unclean) preservatives (Source).

Stay tuned to discover the benefits of using elderberry extract in skin care as more than just a preservative and how we use elderberry extract at Genie Supply! 

Let's go! 

The 3 Main Benefits of Elderberry in Skincare: 

• Anti-oxidant

Anti-oxidants, when applied topically through skincare, help to eliminate free radicals within the skin (Source). You may be wondering why we want to eliminate free radicals. The short answer is that free radicals contribute to skin cell damage, aging and the formation of wrinkles, which are all things we try to counteract with skincare regimens. 

• Skin tightening/Anti-wrinkle 

Elderberry contains a type of compound called bioflavonoids.  Bioflavonoids have been found to be skin tightening and have anti-wrinkle properties when used in skincare (Source). These are very similar to the bioflavonoids found in Vitamin C that offer great anti-aging benefits. To learn more about the benefits of bioflavonoids check out our blog on the benefits of using a Vitamin C serum. 

• Anti-microbial

Anti-microbial properties means that elderberry extract is resistant to bacteria, which is an important factor to include in all skincare, since we frequently touch our products with our hands. Elderberry extract contains undecylenic acid which is an organic fatty acid that offers the anti-microbial properties (Source). This along with its other beneficial properties make elderberry extract a popular substitute for other unnatural preservatives used in skincare. 

What type of product is Elderberry used in? 

Elderberry is most commonly used in balm and lipsticks because these formulations do not typically include water. Elderberry is a great ingredient to be used in formulations without water as a preservative. Keep in mind that all lipsticks and balms will need anti-microbial properties because we frequently touch these products with our hands that can easily transfer bacteria into the product.

At Genie Supply, we use elderberry extract in a few of our private label formulas. Below we will discuss which products at Genie Supply this ingredient is used in and what benefits that product offers.

• Vegan Relief Balm

The Vegan relief balm is one of our favorite formulations at Genie Supply. This formula uses a variety of anti-inflammatory ingredients of offer topical relief when applied to a area where aches and pains are present. Our Vegan Relief Balm is a completely clean formula with 100% natural ingredients including elderberry extract.

In this formulation we use elderberry extract a powerful preservative that helps prevent bacteria from living within the product. Elderberry extract was a perfect ingredient for this formulation as it does not contain any water, and required a clean preservative. Check out this product for yourself by ordering samples!

Do you have an innovative idea for a clean cosmetic product, and want to include elderberry extract in your formulation? We can help create a custom formula with you! Check out our custom formulating services!

Questions? Comments? Feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@geniesupply.com or give us a call at 812-329-1105.