Categories: Plant Extract, Anti-Wrinkle, After-Sun Care

Products: Neige Éternelle, Éclat de Lait

Ingredient Description:

The Hibiscus Sabdariffa (HS) we use in our products is cultivated by women in the Louga region of Senegal. They are raising the bar when it comes to cultivating HS flowers for extract! The success story of our white hibiscus flower extracts is a beautiful example of what can be achieved through human collaboration. Special care is taken to ensure that these flowers are cultivated with absolutely no use of pesticides or fertilizers. The hardworking women in charge of this endeavor, who come from USAID’s (United States Agency for International Development) “Millenium Villages” project, are given the opportunity to gain new skills while earning money and invest in school fees. What's more, they get to learn all about harvesting, drying, grinding, and packaging stages so as not to contaminate the product with other plant species or unwanted chemical products. We could say this goes beyond economics and into the realm of women’s empowerment, which is something we should all celebrate!

HS is not only a beautiful flower to look at, but it also has some pretty incredible properties. With its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties, it's basically like nature's own superhero![1] Extracts from the flower can be used to treat health concerns such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia.[2] Studies have shown that this flower extract is a great source of antioxidants that help our bodies fight inflammation and prevent free radical damage, meaning that Hibiscus Sabdariffa is an optimal ingredient in products that aim to have age-preserving benefits.[3]

In both of our products Éclat de Lait and Neige Éternelle, we use a skin conditioning and emollient blend made up of HS and Baobab (Adansonia Digitata Fruit). The remarkable synergy between HS and Baobab makes it possible to naturally, and effortlessly, sublimate the skin! This dynamic duo is more than up for the job - reducing lipolysis, stimulating adipogenesis (the process of creating new fat cells in the body.) and encouraging proteins to reinforce tight junctions - ultimately resulting in tightened and firm skin. It even activates the expression of genes responsible for forming corneal envelopes (the cornified layer is the outermost layer of the epidermis that protects the body from the environment)!

REFERENCES:

[1] Da-Costa-Rocha, Inês et al. “Hibiscus sabdariffa L. - a phytochemical and pharmacological review.” Food chemistry vol. 165 (2014): 424-43. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.05.002

[2] Hopkins, Allison L et al. “Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: a comprehensive review of animal and human studies.” Fitoterapia vol. 85 (2013): 84-94. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003

[3] Wang, Duanyang et al. “Potential of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. and Hibiscus Acid to Reverse Skin Aging.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 27,18 6076. 17 Sep. 2022, doi:10.3390/molecules27186076