Prunella Vulgaris

Prunella vulgaris (self-heal) is typically used as a botanical extract for soothing/antioxidant benefits at low concentrations, but like many plant extracts it contains multiple bioactive phenolics that can trigger irritant or allergic contact dermatitis in a reactive subset. Human patch-test data for this specific extract is limited and formulations vary widely, so I score it as mild: generally well tolerated, yet not reliably “non-irritating” for eczema-prone or highly sensitized patients, especially in leave-on products or layered routines. Safety Notes: In commercial skincare, Prunella vulgaris is most often supplied as an extract (water/glycerin/butylene glycol based) and is frequently used at very low levels (~0.001–0.1%) in leave-on toners/serums as a supporting botanical/soothing antioxidant alongside other extracts. At the high end, consumer-available “single-extract” or herb-focused ampoules/essences and some K-beauty soothing gels can reach ~1–5% extract, with a small number of high-strength formulations listing Prunella vulgaris extract around 10% (typically still an extract solution rather than neat plant solids); rinse-off products are generally on the lower half of the range due to cost/benefit and wash-off dilution. No specific FDA/EU maximum applies to Prunella vulgaris itself, so the upper end is primarily constrained by extract solvent system, sensory/stability, and irritation risk.