One of the most exciting advances in natural anti-aging skin care is the emergence of plant stem cells. You may have seen some of your favorite brands beginning to use them. However, like any potentially powerful ingredient, its efficacy depends on the its purity, concentration and delivery system.
Sunshine Botanical’s PhytoActive Stem Cell Eye cream has not only the purity of the finest ingredients, the correct potency, but also a delivery system that really works. I’ve been using this cream for almost 40 days, and I can really see a difference. This small pot of miracle cream contains the Edelweiss plant stem cell, which is very effective in reducing wrinkle-depth, preventing collagen-loss and preventing further aging and sun damage. This cream is available on Open Sky for one day only (9/13) for a discounted price – take advantage!
If you want to read more about plant stem cells, it’s an interesting read below:
Embryonic tissue found in plant stem cells contains biologic energy and the genetic information for future plants and has an abundance of precious substances such as:
• Growth hormones
• Auxins stimulates cell growth and strengthen the immune system.
• Indoleacetic acid helps regenerate tissues and lessens inflammation.
• Gibberellins stimulate RNA and protein synthesis.
• Cytokinins protect cells in cell division, and show
promise in cancer therapy.
• Abscisic acid, Nucleic acid
• Minerals, oligo elements, flavonoids, vitamins and enzymes.
Resetting the Biological Clock –
Stem cells have been a topic of increased research and advancement in the past decade-along with passionate debate from those who tout their health-promoting potential and those who warn of the slippery ethical slope they represent. The good news is that scientists have now found a way to gain some of the health benefits of stem cells without the moral ambiguity: by harvesting them from plants and fruit instead of human tissue. These plant stem cells show remarkable promise, and they’re already proving themselves to be powerful skin healers.
While most cells in an organism have a specific purpose (i.e., a brain cell is specialized for the brain, a skin cell is specialized for the skin), stem cells have the potential to develop into various types of cells, and can repair and replace damaged cells by dividing almost limitlessly. When they divide, the new cells can become specialized cells in a process called differentiation.
These new, specialized cells are usually the same types of cells as those near which they reside (in other words, a stem cell in the skin would generate new skin cells). The reason scientists are so excited about the use of stem cells is that so many diseases and disorders involve cell damage and death. Having access to cells that can proliferate seemingly endlessly-and transform into the types of cells the body needs-offers amazing potential for treating disease.
Enter Plant Stem Cells –
One exciting area of research for stem cells is in treating skin problems, such as wrinkles, visible capillaries and sun damage. In the basal layer of the epidermis (the deepest layer of the outer surface of the skin), stem cells divide and replace lost or dying cells. They also repair the skin when it suffers injury. The epidermis is in a constant state of renewal-sloughing cells every single day-so it requires non-stop cell replacement. Therefore it’s essential that we optimize epidermal stem cell population throughout our lives, even as we age.
As our skin faces its daily assaults-environmental toxins, excess sun exposure, improper nutrition-we run the risk of overwhelming the epidermal stem cells. When this happens, stem cells might not be able to keep up with the demand of cellular turnover, resulting in an excess of damaged cells and, eventually, aged and damaged skin.
Recently, researchers have begun looking to plants as a source for stem cells, and those plant stem cells have proven to be effective in supporting the skin’s cellular turnover. Like human stem cells, plant stem cells develop according to their environment.
The inspiration for using plant stem cells in skin care came from an unusual source: an almost extinct apple tree in Switzerland.
Originally bred in the 18th century for their incredible shelf life, Uttwiler Spätlauber apples shrank into obscurity as modern shipping and storage caused longevity to take a backseat to flavor. Even more astonishing than the fruit’s long-lasting freshness was its ability to heal itself: When an apple was scratched while still on the tree, the skin would quickly regenerate and close the wound.
Luckily, the Uttwiler Spätlauber, and the stem cells that gave it its staying power, caught the attention of researchers just in the nick of time-only a few trees remained in the world when scientists began to research its health benefits. Researchers found a way to extract stem cells from the fruit and generate new ones in a lab, and then began investigating how human cells would react to them.
The results were astonishing: They found the apple’s stem cells could stimulate human stem cell proliferation by 80 percent and could protect human stem cells against UV damage. In experiments on human skin, researchers discovered that a cream containing the apple extract and liposomes from lecithin could decrease wrinkle depth by an average of 8 percent in just two weeks and by 15 percent in four weeks.
New Frontiers
Since the discovery of the Uttwiler Spätlauber’s remarkable skin benefits, leaders in the natural skin care industry have been looking for other sources of plant stem cells. After much research, two more plants have proven to have exciting and unique stem cell potential.
Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) is an herbaceous plant that grows on mountain ranges from the Pyrenees and Alps to the Himalayas. Over time it has developed many natural defenses in order to survive the extreme climates in which it grows. It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In a recent study, 20 participants applied a cream containing Edelweiss stem cells to their faces twice daily for 40 days. The cream was found to reduce wrinkle depth of the eye contour area by 15 percent after only 20 days. Edelweiss stem cells also seem to be helpful in preventing collagen loss, firming and restructuring the skin, and preventing aging and sun damage.
Have you read this article: http://barefacedtruth.com/2011/12/08/botanical-stem-cells-in-skin-care/?
What do you think about what they are saying? Thank you.
Ingrid,
It is not possible to give you a detailed resply to my analysis on this article in the scope of this facebook space. That said, I can tell you this is based on inaccurate science and some incorrect information. In brief, plant stem cells —including edelweiss, gardenia and sea fennel—offer several benefits for the skin, such as effective protection from photodamage and oxidative stress; a tonic and re-energizing effect on tired skin; and deep, firming action to restore skin elasticity and contour around the jaw line and nasolabial areas, especially in mature skin.
Edelweiss, which flourishes in harsh mountainous climates, produces several active substances to protect against the elements, including UV rays. The high concentrations of leontopodic acids A and B it produces have antioxidant properties, as well as anti-collagenase and hyaluronidase activity, potentially resulting in wrinkle-reduction. Hope this helps. Plant stem cells can produce impressive results when formulated properly and in high enough concentrations.