Ingredient

Illicium Verum Fruit Extract (Star Anise Extract)

Illicium Verum

A pop star (anise) of the spice world. 

So named for its shape, star anise comes from the Illicium vernum - an evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam, grown across East Asia and Southeast Asia. The fruits have a distinctive 8-pointed, star-shaped appearance. They are dried after harvest, resulting in a brown, fragrant and wood-like spice. Whilst its name pays homage to aniseed, thanks to similarities between their flavour profiles, the two plants are actually unrelated.

What are the benefits of star anise extract?

• Festive, warm aroma with notes of liquorice
• Naturally antiseptic

How do we obtain star anise extract?

We use two main approaches to extract this fragrant spice - infusions and decoctions. Both methods are made in-house at our factory in Poole, Dorset.* For an infusion, we gather the dried spice in a muslin cloth and steep in hot water for a short time, making chai comes to mind! With decoctions, we the spice is left in the boiling water until half of the liquid has evaporated, leaving a more concentrated extract. 

*With several manufacturing sites across the globe, this information may vary depending on where your Lush products were made. 

Where do we get star anise from?

Lush generally purchases spices, herbs and seeds through a distributor, which sources products from different countries depending on seasonality and stock availability.