Scientific name: Ruscus aculeatus extract
Classification: Plant-based active ingredient
Astringent, sebum-regulating, soothing.
Stories from Nature
Butcher’s broom, or Ruscus, is a plant belonging to the Ruscaceae family. It is a small evergreen shrub, about 60 cm tall, characterized by very conspicuous red berries. The tips of its leaves are prickly. In rural tradition, butcher’s broom was used to keep mice away from cellars and food stores. The name Ruscus is a contraction of the Latin term “rustiscus,” meaning “of the countryside.” “Aculeatus,” on the other hand, means “equipped with thorns.”
Butcher’s broom is a symbol of the Christmas season, especially in Northern Europe. It grows wild throughout the Mediterranean basin, up to an altitude of 700–800 meters. A traditional custom in the Bologna area involved placing food scraps under butcher’s broom bushes as fertilizer. This practice is linked to the dialectal use of the word “rusco” to refer to waste materials. In herbal medicine, butcher’s broom is valued for its skin-protecting, soothing, and draining properties.
Benefits for Hair
Butcher’s broom extract is valued in cosmetics for its astringent, soothing, and protective properties. In scalp treatments, it helps rebalance sebum secretions, promoting a feeling of freshness and cleanliness and helping to maintain the Scalp in a balanced state.
