Bio-Botanica · Botanical extract manufacturer since 1972 · Hauppauge, NY
(800) 645-5720
Applications

Botanical extracts for sun care formulas

Green tea leaf, aloe vera gel and centella are the botanical extracts most specified in new US sunscreens, with ginger root and licorice root rising behind them. Centella is the fastest-growing at 7.2% of new launches, up 130% year on year. Bio-Botanica supplies all five as cosmetic-grade liquid extracts in glycerin, Zemea propanediol or butylene glycol.
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Updated 6 November 2026. Source: Gravel AI, US personal care launch data, 12 months to September 2026 versus the prior 12 months.
What formulators are specifying

Five botanical extracts to specify in sun care

Share is the percentage of new US sun care launches that list the INCI; change is against the prior 12 months. Part IDs link to the product page with the Spec Sheet, representative COA and SDS.
Share of new US launches, 2,211 sunscreens, 12 months to September 2026. Source: Gravel AI.
BotanicalINCIShare of new launches12-month changePart IDs (carrier)
Green tea leafCamellia sinensis leaf extract9.9%-5%3345GL (glycerin), 3345ZB (Zemea propanediol), 3345NBG (butylene glycol)
Aloe vera gelAloe barbadensis leaf extract8.8%+13%3160GL (glycerin), 3160ZB (Zemea propanediol)
Centella (gotu kola)Centella asiatica extract7.2%+130%3424GL (glycerin), 3424ZB (Zemea propanediol)
Ginger rootZingiber officinale root extract3.1%+38%3264GL (glycerin), 3264ZB (Zemea propanediol)
Licorice rootGlycyrrhiza glabra root extract2.6%+19%3291GL (glycerin), 3291ZB (Zemea propanediol), 3291NBG (butylene glycol)
Formulation

How to specify these extracts

Sunscreen bases are emulsions with a high actives load, so water-phase botanical extracts are added at low levels in the cool-down phase. Glycerin and Zemea® propanediol carriers suit mineral and hybrid systems; butylene glycol suits lightweight fluids and sprays. Compatibility with the UV filter system, pH and preservative is confirmed by your lab against the Spec Sheet and a sample.
Every Part ID above is a single-plant, cosmetic-grade liquid extract made by Bio-Botanica's Bio-Chelated® cold process, supplied full-spectrum and non-standardized. Glycerin (GL), Zemea® propanediol (ZB) and butylene glycol (NBG, PBBG) are carriers, not extraction solvents.
Questions

Frequently asked questions: botanical extracts for sun care

Which botanical extracts are used most in sunscreens?

Green tea leaf extract (9.9% of new US sunscreens), aloe barbadensis leaf extract (8.8%) and centella asiatica extract (7.2%) are the three most-listed botanical extracts, followed by ginger root (3.1%) and licorice root (2.6%). Source: Gravel AI, 12 months to September 2026.

Which botanical extract is growing fastest in sun care?

Centella asiatica extract, up 130% year on year to 7.2% of new US sunscreen launches. Holy basil leaf extract is also up 130% from a smaller base of 2.4%.

What carrier should a botanical extract have for a sunscreen formula?

Glycerin and Zemea propanediol extracts suit mineral and hybrid emulsions; butylene glycol extracts suit lightweight fluids, sprays and mists. Bio-Botanica supplies each botanical in more than one carrier so the extract can match the base.

Does Bio-Botanica supply documentation for sun care formulators?

Yes. Each cosmetic-grade extract ships with a Spec Sheet, a representative Certificate of Analysis and a Safety Data Sheet, with regulatory packets and compositional breakdowns available on the product page or on request.
Next step

Formulating sun care for 2027? Start with samples.

Tell us the extracts and carriers you are evaluating and our team will send samples with Spec Sheets, representative COAs and SDS, or talk through carrier choice with a formulator before you choose.
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