Chrysin

Chrysin is a flavonoid antioxidant/anti-inflammatory used in low concentrations (typically well under 1%) in soothing or “brightening” formulas, and it is not a known primary irritant like acids or retinoids. However, as a bioactive polyphenol it has documented potential for contact allergy/irritant reactions in a minority of users, and real-world risk increases when combined with other actives or used on compromised eczema-prone skin. Given limited robust clinical irritation datasets in highly sensitive populations, I rate it as mild to reflect occasional sensitivity and the need for patch testing in reactive patients. Safety Notes: In commercial skincare, chrysin is typically used as a minor bioflavonoid active in brightening/anti-dark-circle and anti-glycation/antioxidant complexes, often appearing at very low levels (~0.0005–0.05%) when part of multi-ingredient blends or encapsulated systems where the INCI lists chrysin but the delivered active is small. Higher-strength consumer leave-on serums/eye products that feature chrysin more explicitly are observed up to about 0.5–1.0%, with further increases uncommon due to solubility/formulation limits, color/odor impact, and diminishing practicality in OTC cosmetics; rinse-off use is rarer and generally at the low end because of short contact time.