Description

Helianthus Annuus Petal Extract is derived from the petals of the sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus). Known for its vibrant yellow color, this extract is used in cosmetic and therapeutic applications due to its beneficial properties. It is valued for its antioxidant, soothing, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Chemical Composition and Structure:
The extract from sunflower petals contains several beneficial compounds:

Flavonoids: Plant pigments such as quercetin and kaempferol, which have antioxidant properties to help combat oxidative stress.
Phenolic Acids: Compounds like caffeic and chlorogenic acids that provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Essential Oils: Volatile compounds that contribute to the flower's characteristic fragrance and may offer additional therapeutic benefits.
Vitamins: Especially vitamin E, known for its antioxidant and skin-conditioning properties.

The chemical structure of these compounds includes various ring structures and functional groups, which are responsible for their biological activity and effectiveness.

Physical Properties:

Appearance: The extract is typically light-colored or slightly tinted, depending on the extraction method and concentration.
Solubility: Soluble in water and some organic solvents.
Odor: Features a mild, floral scent that reflects the natural aroma of the petals.

Production Process:

Harvesting: Sunflower petals are collected during peak blooming to ensure the highest concentration of active compounds.
Extraction: The petals are processed to obtain the extract, using methods such as steam distillation, solvent extraction, or cold pressing.
Purification: The extract is purified to remove impurities and concentrate the desired bioactive compounds.
Formulation: The purified extract is then incorporated into various cosmetic or therapeutic products.

Applications:

Cosmetics: Used in creams, lotions, serums, and masks for its antioxidant, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps protect the skin from oxidative damage, reduces inflammation, and improves skin hydration.
Pharmaceuticals: Employed in topical treatments for its calming effects and potential benefits for skin health.

Environmental and Safety Considerations:

Environmental Impact: The production of sunflower petal extracts should be managed sustainably to minimize environmental impact. Sustainable agricultural practices can help mitigate negative effects.
Safety: Generally regarded as safe for topical application. However, like all extracts, it should be used in accordance with established guidelines to avoid potential allergic reactions or skin irritations. Safety assessments are required for any new formulations or high concentrations.

INCI Functions:


Cleansing agent. Ingredient that cleanses skin without exploiting the surface-active properties that produce a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum.

Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.

Waving and straightening agent for hair. It is an ingredient that enables straightening and/or waving by permanently changing the shape or configuration of the keratinous hair fibres.

Fragrance. It plays a very important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability. It is able to create a perceptible pleasant odour, masking a bad smell. The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.

Moisturizing. This ingredient is responsible for preventing the evaporation of moisture from the skin and improving cellular activity. When exposed to cold or hot air currents, the skin absorbs water from its inner layer to compensate for the evaporated water. If the draught phenomenon persists, the stratum corneum is dry and, if at all, damaged.
Synonyms:

CAS: 84776-03-4 / 8001-21-6 EC number 232-273-9