There seems to be a healthy competition going on in the beauty industry as leading brands are bottling plant stem cells in skincare products. While Lancome is hyping anti-ageing roses, on the other side of the Atlantic Estee Lauder has been harnessing the power of tuberose for a luxurious anti-ageing and whitening range.

In Thai the flower is known as sorn klin, meaning hidden scent, when it actually has a seductive scent. Its little white flowers are used in Indian wedding ceremonies and traditional rituals, and so there's something magical about this delicate bloom.

In northern climates, only in August does this flower come to life, blooming only at night and living for merely 40 days.

For its plant stem cell project, the US cosmetic company picked white tuberose grown in an arid field in Latin America.

A single petal of the flower from a living plant is placed in a special laboratory culture dish and transported to a lab in Japan, where it is further cultivated with customised nutrients that unlock latent plant stem cells within the petal.

These precious tuberose cells are then harvested and their valuable benefits are extracted for the formulation of Re-Nutriv Radiant White Age-Renewal collection.

How could the white tuberose serve as a skin-brightening ingredient?

In folklore, its nectar is known to have special powers and Ayurvedic medicine believes in its renewing properties. Estee Lauder scientists associated the flower with inflammation, claiming that it can help calm the skin.

Inflammation has been identified as a major cause of age spots. Studying the genes of samples of age spots, the scientists found increased expression of genes promoting inflammation that triggers melanocytes to overproduce melanin, resulting in menacing age spots.

Created for Asian-type skin, Re-Nutriv Radiant White Age-Renewal formulas feature tuberose plant stem cell, green tea and rice bran extracts, licorice as well as vitamins C and E for a synergistical skin-brightening effect.

Continue reading here:
Harnessing a flower's hidden powers

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