Quandong

Antioxidant0.5–3%

A bright red desert peach whose extract carries antioxidant polyphenols; evidence is lab-based only.

What it is

Quandong, or desert peach, is the tart red fruit of a semi-parasitic shrub from arid southern Australia and a traditional Aboriginal food. It is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, and extracts suit antioxidant serums, body washes and masks.

Good for

Dull skinRadianceAntioxidant care

How it works

Its phenolic compounds include rutin and chlorogenic acid, and in a 2010 lab study of eight commercially grown native fruits, quandong showed higher antioxidant activity than blueberry. These antioxidants may help protect skin from everyday oxidative stress, but this has not been tested in people.

Ratings

Evidence

1/5

Lab antioxidant data only, with no published skin studies.

Gentleness

4/5

No irritation concerns reported, but little data beyond food use.

Formulation difficulty

2/5

Glycerin–water extract to add at cool-down, and colour may drift.

Cost

3/5

Mid-priced, as supply is small and seasonal.

Popularity

2/5

Niche, used by Australian natural brands and a mass-market wash.

Pairs and cautions

Pairs well with

In a routine. Pairing in one formula depends on matching pH windows.

Take care with

None noted.

Formulations it suits

Serum Body wash Cream or sleeping mask Cream Lotion

Packaging

Regional considerations

Australia	Not on the EPBC exempt list, so exporting wild-harvested fruit or extract needs a wildlife trade permit and an approved source. Confirm AICIS status with the supplier.
China	Not in China's IECIC, so it is a new ingredient there and must be notified to NMPA, with three years of annual safety reporting, before products using it can be sold in China.
European Union	Listed in CosIng as Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract, with no EU restriction or labelling requirement of its own.

In the lab

Specifications

Typical use level

0.5–3%0525%

pH window

pH 4–62 acid7 neutral10 alkaline

Solubility

Water-soluble

Sensitive to

HeatLight

Serums, masks, creams and washes use 0.5–3% as an antioxidant fruit extract.

INCI	Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract
Also known as	Desert quandong, Native peach, Santalum acuminatum
Origin	plant-derived

Lab notes

Solubility and phase

Water phase, as a glycerin–water extract.

Stability

Add below 40 °C, and choose a grade preserved with sorbate and benzoate or an unpreserved one only where the formula is robustly preserved. Colour may shift over shelf life.

Regulatory, Australia

Cosmetic ingredient in Australia, so confirm AICIS Inventory status with the supplier.

Claims to take care with

Honest claims include 'with Australian quandong' and 'antioxidant-rich fruit extract', without presenting lab antioxidant data as clinical results. Avoid collagen, firming or anti-ageing claims, as no published study supports them.