Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
Also known as Rosemary Leaf Extract, Rosemary Extract, Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaf extract
“CIR Expert Panel says: restricted.”
The CIR Expert Panel (2014 group assessment, published Fiume et al., Int J Toxicol 2018) assessed 10 Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)-derived ingredients and reached a plant-part split verdict: 8 ingredients (Extract, Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Leaf, Leaf Oil, Leaf Powder, Leaf Water, Water) are safe as used when formulated to be non-sensitizing, while LEAF EXTRACT and FLOWER EXTRACT carry an explicit cap: safe at <=0.2% in leave-on products and safe as used in rinse-off products, when formulated to be non-sensitizing. This split reflects the higher concentration-of-use data submitted for the extract preparations in leave-on cosmetics, where reported maximum use concentrations approached or exceeded levels for which adequate sensitization-margin data were available. The Sept 2022 QRT row summarizes the conclusion in abbreviated form (the 0.2% cap is collapsed into the generic 'non-sensitizing' qualifier); the Final Report PDF is the source of truth — see deferred_judgment QRT-vs-FR cross-check rule. Active constituents are the diterpene phenols carnosic acid and carnosol (lipophilic antioxidants) and rosmarinic acid (a hydrophilic caffeic acid ester). PMID 22957812 (Jordán et al., 2012) characterized 27 methanolic extracts and showed that carnosic acid and carnosol equally drive in vitro antioxidant activity at comparable diterpene levels, while carnosol-dominant extracts demonstrate superior antibacterial activity against skin-relevant organisms. PMID 36477988 (Takayama et al., 2022) demonstrated that a topical rosemary-extract-loaded emulgel inhibited UVB-induced edema, oxidative stress, and myeloperoxidase activity in murine skin, with a measured SPF contribution of 7.56 — supporting the marketed antioxidant/photoprotective positioning at the leave-on concentrations covered by the CIR cap.
Antioxidant: carnosic acid + carnosol (lipophilic diterpene phenols) plus rosmarinic acid (hydrophilic polyphenol) provide broad-spectrum free-radical scavenging; equally weighted carnosic acid:carnosol ratio drives in vitro antioxidant activity
Anti-inflammatory / photoprotective: topical rosemary extract emulgel inhibits UVB-induced edema, GSH depletion, and myeloperoxidase activity in murine skin; modest UV-absorbing capacity (SPF ~7.56 as formulated extract; PMID 36477988)
Antimicrobial: carnosol-dominant extracts show enhanced antibacterial activity against skin-relevant organisms; supports use in preservative-boosting formulations
Plant: Rosmarinus officinalis L. (synonym Salvia rosmarinus), family Lamiaceae; principal active constituents are carnosic acid, carnosol (diterpene phenols), and rosmarinic acid (caffeic acid ester)
CIR plant-part-specific assessment: Leaf Extract restricted to <=0.2% in leave-on, safe as used in rinse-off, when formulated to be non-sensitizing (Final Report 06/2014; published Int J Toxicol 37(3_suppl):12S-50S, 2018)
- · Photopatch reactivity has been reported in case-series literature; sensitized individuals may have stronger reactions on photo-exposure than on standard patch testing
Sensitization potential is the load-bearing safety concern: CIR explicitly requires formulation to be non-sensitizing for all 10 Rosmarinus ingredients and additionally caps Leaf Extract at 0.2% in leave-on products. Specific sensitizer-suspect constituents identified in the assessment include caffeic acid, thujone, and terpenes (linalool, linalyl acetate, limonene, methyleugenol)
Plant-part split verdict means LEAF EXTRACT specifically has a stricter conclusion than other rosemary preparations (e.g., Leaf Oil, Leaf Powder, Leaf Water are safe as used with no numerical cap) — formulators substituting between preparations cannot assume equivalent regulatory headroom
Constituent ratios vary substantially across extract preparations (carnosic acid + carnosol from 5-7% to 30% by extraction method); efficacy and sensitization profile both shift with the carnosic acid:carnosol ratio
QRT-vs-FR documentation note: Sept 2022 QRT row at p. 494 collapses the 0.2% cap into the generic 'non-sensitizing' qualifier; the actual numerical cap is in the Final Report only — packet uses FR as source of truth per template rule
CIR Quick Reference Table (September 2022) — Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract row: Finding=SQ, Citation=Final Report 6/2014…
Safety Assessment of Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics — Draft Final Report (May 16, 2014; Panel…
“The Panel also concluded that Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract and Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Flower Extract are safe at <=0.2% in leave-on products and safe as used in rinse-off products, when formulated to be non-sensitizing.”— rosmarinus_2.pdf, p. 51 (CONCLUSION)