Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract

Vaccinium myrtillus fruit extract is derived from the berries of the bilberry plant, sometimes called European blueberry.

The plant has dark, blue berries that can be eaten fresh or used to make jams, sorbets, and other desserts. The difference between bilberries and blueberries is that whereas blueberries only have a dark, blue peel, bilberries are richly colored on the inside as well.

Billberries are rich in anthocyanins, members of a flavonoid group that are not only responsible for the dark blue color of the berries but also their antioxidant properties. As an antioxidant, the bilberry extract helps to keep other ingredients from degrading or going rancid and also protects the skin from oxidative stress.

Other abundant substances in the extract are tannins, which have astringent properties.