Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Mugwort
Genuinely relevant for some people, or depends on dose and pH.
Also written as: Mugwort Extract · Artemisia Princeps Extract · Artemisia Vulgaris Leaf Extract · Artemisia Annua Extract · Artemisia Capillaris Extract · Ssuk
What it is
Mugwort is a herb long used in Korean bathing and medicinal traditions, where it is known as ssuk. Several Artemisia species appear in cosmetics, most often Artemisia vulgaris, princeps or capillaris, and all are used as soothing antioxidant extracts. It became a signature ingredient in Korean products aimed at sensitised, blemish-prone skin.
What it does well
Calms the appearance of redness and irritation
Artemisia extracts show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity in laboratory studies, and small clinical work supports a soothing effect on reactive skin, but the evidence base is thin.
Limited evidence
Worth knowing
Mugwort is a significant allergen for some people
Mugwort pollen is a major cause of hay fever, and mugwort belongs to the Asteraceae family whose sesquiterpene lactones cause allergic contact dermatitis. Cross-reactivity with ragweed, chamomile and celery is documented.
Matters most toPeople with mugwort or ragweed hay fever, Compositae contact allergy, or celery-mugwort-spice syndrome.
Where the EU stands
No specific restriction
No EU concentration limit or annex restriction on Artemisia leaf extracts. Separate EU limits apply to thujone, a component of some Artemisia essential oils, rather than to these extracts.
