Thursday November 5, 2009
Boosting vitality
By MAJORIE CHIEW
The latest skincare cream from L’Occitane uses oil of the immortals.
A SKINCARE product with the adjective “divine” will surely attract atttention. Stored in a yellow jar reminiscent of Pooh’s honey frolic, L’Occitane’s new Immortelle Divine Cream is claimed to be “precious nectar” to the ageing woman who secretly longs to stay youthful for longer.
The story of immortelle, one of the cream’s potent ingredients, is linked to Nausicaa, the beautiful daughter of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians and his consort, Arete.
In Greek mythology, Odysseus (or Ulysses), the legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, was shipwrecked on Alcinous’ island, Scheria. He was found by Nausicaa, who appeared like “the goddess of beauty”, explains L’Occitane trainer Evelyn Lim.
‘Divine Cream has magnesium, zinc and copper to increase cell production,’ says L’Occitane’s Evelyn Lim He later discovered her beauty secret was immortelle oil, a golden oil with rejuvenating properties. The oil became Nausicaa’s gift to Ulysses on his voyage home.
Immortelle Divine Cream, an anti-ageing cream, has essential oils of immortelle and myrtle flowers, said to improve the skin’s ability to battle the signs of ageing and boost its vitality. With “rejuvenating care properties”, the cream is touted to be able to smooth wrinkles, restore radiance, firm skin and lift features so that facial contours look refined.
Immortelle and myrtle flowers found on Corsica island provide outstanding anti-ageing and regenerating powers to restore the vitality of mature cells, says Lim.
“Divine cream also has a complex of magnesium, zinc and copper to increase cell production. These trace elements work together with a combination of four plant oils to stimulate cellular repair for supple skin,” she adds. Vitamic C derivative and parsley are said to visibly reduce dark spots for a more even toned complexion.
There are about 5,000 species of immortelle flowers but L’Occitane only uses organic immortelle that grows along the Mediterranean coasts. Immortelle means “everlasting” because even after being picked, the flower doesn’t wilt.
L’Occitane uses one ton of flowers to produce one to two litres of immortelle essential oil, said to stimulate collagen production and boost skin microcirculation, thus reviving radiance and limiting oxidative stress responsible for premature ageing skin. Organic myrtle is a shrub with fragrant white flowers that grow in the Corsican wild scrubland.
“A symbol of life, the myrtle has outstanding regenerating powers and can live up to 300 years. According to legend, the plant can even grow back after a fire,” says Lim. L’Occitane studied the amazing properties of myrtle, which has been used for centuries by the people of the Mediterranean, and found that myrtle essential oil has exceptional regenerating and rejuvenating powers, said to be capable of restoring the vitality of mature cells.
In 2003, L’Occitane launched its first large-scale organic immortelle plantation in Corsica to maintain the traceability and quality of immortelle, as well as to protect it. There are eight immortelle growers and three distillers involved in this project.
L’Occitane also sources its myrtle essential oil from two Corsican distillers. Both immortelle and myrtle shoots are distilled on site in Corsica to produce fresh essential oils.
L’Occitane claims that after four weeks of using Immortelle Divine Cream, the skin is said to be smoother (94%), revitalised (90%) and its texture improved (88%).
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