Considering all the buzzy ingredients in beauty products these days, lentil extract might seem, well, underwhelming at first. After all, those tiny, unassuming legumes are best known as health food, packed with fiber and protein. But, it turns out, lentil seed extract can do so much more than that—and while the benefits of lentils for skin might fly under the radar, they can offer serious, long-lasting perks when included in your skincare and makeup formulas.
So, what exactly about lentil extract makes it a low-key hero in your beauty routine? We’re glad you asked. Here’s what you need to know about it—and exactly how it works wonders for your complexion.
What is lentil extract?
Lens esculenta (lentil) fruit extract is derived from actual lentils, and is packed with essential nutrients—many of which are behind the legume’s benefits for skin. “Lentil is rich in protein, oligosaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) and minerals as well as vitamin B5,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King. “It helps to refine skin texture and moisturizes skin.” In smoothing and soothing skin, it can help create an even canvas for makeup, which explains why you can find it in our Pore Eclipse Mattifying Primer.
What does lentil extract do?
Since lentil seed extract is brimming with a variety of nutrients, it offers similarly versatile benefits. For one, “it keeps skin hydrated as well as refines the appearance of pores,” says King. Plus, when turned into a physical powder, it can help absorb oil without feeling heavy on your skin. It’s like having a built-in blotting effect.
Plus, “in makeup, it is a unique biological solution for treating pore visibility,” says cosmetic chemist Krupa Koestline. That makes it especially helpful for those with oily skin, who tend to have extra shine (from the excess sebum production) and large pores (to accommodate the high rate of sebum flow). “Due to its effects on pores, it may be helpful for mattifying and pore-minimizing types of products,” she says.
For instance, Refinyl, an extract from green lentils, can give the appearance of less visible pores and less shine. Not only does it inhibit excess sebum production, but it also stimulates collagen synthesis (which can firm up the pore walls). The end result? Tighter-looking pores and less shine.
Which Milk Makeup products contain lentil extract?
Not surprisingly, the benefits of lentils for skin made it a no-brainer for our Pore Eclipse fam, which highlights lentil extract. “It is actually lentil—like the bean you eat in soup—crushed up into a powder that absorbs oil all day long,” says our Co-founder and COO Dianna Ruth. And that family is now expanding with the addition of our new Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray, which you can use along with the makeup primer as the last step in your routine to give skin a soft-focus finish and all-day shine control. It also locks in your makeup from above.
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The super-fine spray mists an even, non-comedogenic formula that features lentil extract (and with it, all those benefits of lentils for skin) with niacinamide, which also helps to regulate oil production and minimizes the appearance of pores over time. They work alongside pore-blurring microspheres, which give skin a filtered look. Not only will your makeup not budge for up to 16 hours, but unwanted shine won’t get in the way of your look, either.
Which skin types does lentil extract work best for?
Though lentil’s shine-absorbing properties can make it clutch for oily skin, “it can be used for all skin types,” says King. Exhibit A: While our Pore Eclipse Matte Setting Spray immediately mattifies skin, it doesn't leave it looking or feeling dry. Rather, skin feels fresh and comfortable, thanks in part (again!) to the vitamin B5 in lentil seed extract.
Is lentil extract safe for sensitive skin?
Both King and Koestline agree that lentil extract seems to be safe for sensitive skin. “Some studies show its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent in skincare,” says Koestline. Plus, both our Pore Eclipse makeup primer and setting spray feature niacinamide, which is beloved for its anti-inflammatory, sensitive skin-friendly properties.
Bottom line? Lentil’s benefits for skin make it a keeper not only if you have oily skin, but for anyone going for a dreamy, soft-focus look—no filter needed.
Meet the Experts
Ginger King (she/her) is the founder & CEO at Grace Kingdom Beauty, a cosmetic product development firm in New Jersey specializing in helping create beauty brands from concept to launch. She has been the keynote speaker for brand launches and has spoken at various trade conferences on product development and In-Cosmetics on product innovation. Ginger is an oft-quoted beauty expert and has been on radio and video chat with leading beauty magazines as well as a regular TV appearances on Good Day Sacramento. She has been quoted by over 35 top beauty magazines such as Allure, Self, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Shape, Teen Vogue, and Women’s Health.
Krupa Koestline (she/her) is a clean cosmetic chemist and founder of KKT Consultants. She has created award-winning formulations with breakthrough technology for brands like Kopari, May Lindstrom Skin, and Tower 28. A thought leader, trend forecaster, and industry pioneer in clean beauty, Krupa has merged her background in biology, biochemistry, and biotechnology with her lifelong practice of Ayurveda. Krupa also consults for brands and retailers on improving their Clean Beauty guidelines based on the latest research in ingredient safety, environmental impact, and sustainability impact. Starting her 10+ year career at Estée Lauder and Neutrogena, Krupa pivoted her focus to creating safer products. Krupa saw firsthand the impact of potentially harmful ingredients used in personal care products. Today, Krupa continues to revolutionize clean beauty. By taking inspiration from an array of industries ranging from food and wellness to even automobiles and toys, Krupa is able to design breakthrough products, from skincare masks with a radical preservation system to new moisturizers with a better penetration technology.
Dianna Ruth (she/her) is the Co-founder and COO at Milk Makeup. She’s launched thousands of makeup and skincare products, overseeing them from concept to development, garnering over 30 industry awards from institutions such as CEW, Allure, Self, and Cosmopolitan. With her extensive background in product development and her busy lifestyle as a mom of two, Dianna wields her extensive industry knowledge and ability to seek out the new, useful, and functional to create our revolutionary and highly innovative Milk Makeup products.
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