Ingredient

Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract (Black Peppercorn Extract)

Piper nigrum

Lord of Misrule here. Did you know that in medieval times, you could find streets where spices were sold by the smell of pepper? Yes indeed! It was the only spice strong enough to cover the surrounding stench. Ha!

What are the benefits of a black peppercorn extract?

This extract is made by steeping black peppercorns in hot water. It can be an infusion: the little pepper balls are left to infuse in the water for a while; or a decoction: they’re boiled until half the water evaporates, creating a concentrated peppery mixture. 

Depending on the method, the following benefits will be more or less potent:

• A pungent, warm, reviving scent
• Stimulating properties for the mind and the body

What is black pepper?

Piper nigrum is a vine native to southern India. It grows in hanging clusters of small, berry-like green fruits. Once ripe, these fruits are left to dry, turning them black and enhancing their pungent pepper smell.

Black pepper was already famous in Europe in antiquity and medieval times, and it was the most sought-after spice for flavouring the bland dishes of the wealthy. It was so rare and expensive that people used it as currency.

Where does Lush purchase black peppercorns?

Lush UK manufacturing sites purchase black peppercorns from a Guatemalan farm. Once used for cattle grazing, the site has been transformed into a protected, regenerative agroforestry system thanks to local stewardship and support from the Lush Investments Team.

Agroforestry is a farming method that works in harmony with the forest. Trees, climbers, shrubs, and ground cover plants benefit one another: some provide shade, others fix nitrogen in the soil, while others repel insects, among other functions.

On the Guatemalan farm, a biodiverse rewilding system now spans 144 hectares of forest land previously degraded by overgrazing and illegal logging. The area now includes a variety of profitable crops, such as coconut, vanilla, avocado, turmeric, and black pepper.

Meghan Cleland, Creative Ingredient Buyer at Lush, explains: “The pepper vines grow as companions to many indigenous trees and palms (banana, cocoa, coconut), resulting in a symbiotic relationship. Once the berries are harvested, they are cleaned, processed, and sun-dried at the farm.”