Prunus Serotina Bark Extract

Prunus Serotina (wild cherry) bark extract is a botanical astringent/soothing agent typically used at low concentrations, but bark extracts contain complex phenolics and can carry allergenic/sensitizing fractions with batch-to-batch variability. In sensitive and eczema-prone skin, botanicals are a common cause of delayed allergic contact dermatitis on patch testing, so despite “gentle” marketing, this warrants a moderate irritancy score and a patch test recommendation. Safety Notes: In commercial skincare, Prunus serotina (wild cherry) bark extract is most often used as a minor botanical supporting ingredient in leave-on lotions/serums and rinse-off cleansers, where it commonly appears at very low levels (down to ~0.0005–0.01%) consistent with label-order placement and typical supplier-recommended use rates for botanical extracts. Higher levels are seen in consumer-available “botanical active” toners, masks, and concentrated serums that feature the extract (often as a glycerin/propylene glycol extract), where practical formulation constraints (odor/color, tannin/astringency, solubility, and irritation potential) generally cap real-world use around ~1–5%. There is no specific EU/FDA maximum for this INCI itself; the observed upper end reflects market practice rather than a hard regulatory limit.