PLANTS: A GIFT OF GROWTH & RENEWAL
For as long as humankind have lived, plants have been our main source of nutrients. Among other things, we have derived from plants substances for medicine as well as beauty. The discovery of plant stem cells in the 21st century has revolutionised the way we approach skincare.
WHAT ARE STEM CELLS?
Stem cells can be found in all living things that have the ability to grow — humans, animals and plants. Stem cells are fundamentally raw materials — cells from which all other specialised cells are generated, such as blood, brain and muscle (for plants, it would be root, leaf and flowers).
Stem cells are the only cells that possess the natural ability to generate new cell types (through differentiation). Apart from that, they can also self-renew to produce more stem cells.
Essentially, they are key for all activities of growth, repair and renewal in all natural beings. Plant stem cells are especially remarkable for some plants thrive in the harshest of climate and can live up to hundreds of years.
FROM PLANTS TO SKIN
The plant stem cell extracts available in the market today are derived from a wide variety of plants, such as apple, edelweiss, grape and many more. Among all plants, one stands out to be the most effective for anti-ageing — Alpine Rose.
Plant stem cells are obtained from the meristems, which are generally located at the tips of roots and shoots. They contain growth factors that can serve as a stimulant to epidermal stem cells, improving our skin’s efficiency in self repair and renewal.
These plant stem cell extracts also play a crucial role in promoting the production of skin’s natural collagen, which is one of the major “building blocks” of skin. Also packed with anti-oxidants, the extracts can help minimise structural damage caused by oxidative stress, a main contributing factor of accelerated ageing.
By improving overall skin cell longevity and vitality, visible signs of ageing can be reversed to achieve a younger looking skin.