Star Anise
Star anise is a fragrant spice-derived ingredient used in UK skincare and haircare for its soothing, antioxidant-rich properties. It lends a subtle sweet liquorice-like scent to products while delivering gentle skin-calming benefits. You’ll often find it in natural or botanical beauty ranges as an essential oil or extract.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, star anise extract and essential oil function as aromatic conditioning agents and mild antioxidants. The natural compounds help to soothe and comfort the skin while lending a warm, sweet fragrance that enhances sensory appeal in creams, serums, masks and hair treatments. Its gentle nature makes it a popular choice in clean-beauty formulations where it supports the overall feel and scent profile without overpowering other botanicals.
Key benefits
- Provides antioxidant protection against environmental stressors
- Helps calm and soothe sensitive or irritated skin
- Delivers a pleasant natural sweet liquorice aroma
- Conditions and softens hair strands
- Enhances the sensory experience of botanical formulations
- Supports skin comfort in leave-on and rinse-off products
Best for
sensitive skin, dry skin, normal skin, mature skin
Where it comes from
Star anise is the star-shaped fruit (seed pod) of the Illicium verum tree, an evergreen native to Southeast Asia. The dried pods are steam-distilled or extracted to obtain the fragrant oil and botanical extract used in cosmetics.
Products with Star Anise
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Star Anise than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.