Wild Harvesting
Plants used for creating extracts are harvested exclusively in their natural habitats. This method is called "wild harvesting," which translates to the collection of wild-growing plants. It is reminiscent of the ancient practice of gathering herbs, roots, and fruits—a tradition that has been passed down by our ancestors over millennia.
What makes herbs collected in this way so unique? Wild harvesting focuses on plants that have grown independently in their natural environments, untouched by human influence. This ensures that they contain no harmful substances often found in cultivated plants. These herbs have undergone a natural selection process, leaving only the strongest and most resilient plants, rich in beneficial, active compounds.
However, wild harvesting imposes specific requirements. The timing of the harvest must coincide with the period when the plant accumulates the maximum amount of valuable nutrients and biologically active substances. If the collection is done too early or too late, the plant material may lose its therapeutic properties. Herbalists and healers, who have been treating people for centuries, have meticulously developed a calendar for harvesting medicinal plants, preserving knowledge about each herb and its unique characteristics.
Achillea Millefolium Extract (Milfoil Extract)
Description
Milfoil is used in some cosmetic products as an anti-inflammatory component. Milfoil extract is also considered a potentially valuable cosmetic ingredient able to rejuvenate skin, stimulate it and improve its texture. It is famous for its cicatrizing, anti-inflammatory, stimulating, strengthening and anti-allergic properties. It is used in child, normal and oily skin cosmetics and also in hair strengthening cosmetics. Cleans the skin, removes acne, improves elasticity.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Extract of this herbaceous plant contains phytosterols, resins, tannins, vitamins K and C, carotene, camphor, cineol, and other active substances. Milfoil extract used in cosmetics relieves itching, has antimicrobial effect, eliminates minor skin inflammations. It is often added to cosmetics in order to reduce the skin flaking and restore its elasticity. Milfoil can also stimulate regeneration of new skin cells.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin regeneration
- Anti-acne
- Bactericidal
- Cleaning
- Improves elasticity
- Tones skin
Cetraria islandica extract (Iceland Moss Extract)
Description
Cetraria islandica (Iceland moss) is a typical plant of pine tree woods, heath lands, bogs, tundras and forest tundras. It grows on the ground or on the old stump bark. Prefers sandy places without shadows and sometimes forms almost uniform blanket there. Grows only where the air is clean. The extract contains organic acids including usnic acid, iodine, ferments, vitamins. The extract is used to produce gels for problematic skin types.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Cetraria islandica contains up to 70-80% of starches, mainly lichenin, sugars (glucose and galactose), 0.5–3% of proteins, 102% of fats, 1% of wax, about 3% of gum, about 3% of pigments and 3–5% of lichenous acids (usniŃ, protolichesterinic, lichesterinic, fumarprotocentraric and other acids). The acids determine the stimulating and antibiotic properties of the plant.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-oxidant
- Bactericidal
- Anti-inflammatory
Dryopteris Filix-Mas Leaf Extract (Fern Extract)
Description
There is a famous legend or superstition about a fern flower (fire flower) that may be found on the Midsummer night. This is about the male shield fern, which is the formal name of the pant. Those who found the flower that night could see hidden underground treasures and tell the future. The fire flower could allegedly make anyone invisible, grant them power over the dark forces, make then fabulously rich or happy.
The male shield fern has been long and wide known as a medical herb. Even the physicians of the ancient and Medieval times knew the medical properties of the plant. In particular, Dioscorides and Pliny more than once mentioned it in their works.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The rootstock contains fern acid and flavaspidic acid. Phenols are main active materials. Fern extract smoothens muscles, relieves stress and fatigue, cures small injures and cracks. It is used in foot and bath products.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Cicatrizing
- Skin regeneration
Hypericum Perforatum Extract (Hypericum Extract)
Description
Hypericum has been used as a medical herb since ancient times. It is used in day creams to protect the skin from adverse environmental effects and to improve the skin condition, in sun protection and tan products, in young skin products to prevent inflammations, in cosmetics for atopy-prone skin, in oily hair and dandruff products, and also as natural conservation agent.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The extract contains tannins, saponins, carotene, vitamin C, anthocyans, essential oil.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Deodorant
- Antiseptic
- Bactericidal
- Cicatrizing
- Anti-dandruff
- Anti-inflammatory
- Relieves skin irritation
Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract (Juniper Extract)
Description
Juniperus has disinfecting, anti-inflammable, analgesic effect, valuable cleaning cosmetics ingredient. Makes hair shiny, restores the structure of the hair, regenerates the skin of the head. Stimulates the skin, has bactericide and anti-inflammatory effect, relieves irritation.
Is used with other extracts in cleaning, nourishing and toning creams and eye cosmetics. As a hair cosmetics ingredient, stimulates and restores the hair structure, improves the hair shine.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Makes hair shine
- Tones skin
- Improves hair structure
- Bactericidal
- Anti-inflammatory
- Skin regeneration
- Relieves skin irritation
- Stimulates micro-circulation
Oxycoccus palustris Pers (Saaremaa Cranberry Extract)
Description
Cranberry extract has light peeling and anti-bacterial effect. It moisturises skin, enriches it with many useful substances, improves oxygen consumption, helps the skin to oppose the destructive effect of environment, has anti-couperosis effect, speeds up the inter-cellular exchange. Prevents pigmentation, softens skin, fortifies vessels, stimulates, improves the skin resistance. The bio-flavonoids improve the oxygen transportation and consumption.
The ingredient is used to produce anti-ageing, sensitive, oily and problem skin cosmetics, anti-inflammable products and peeling product.
Chemical composition:
Cranberries contain sugars, organic acids, pectin and vitamins.
The organic acids include mostly citric acid and also benzoic, quinic, ursolic, chlorogenic, apple, oleanolic, γ-oxy-α-oxobutyric, α- ketoglutaric acids.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES:
- Bactericidal
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cleaning
- Nourishes skin
- Relieves skin irritation
- Reduces pores
- Stimulates skin
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract (Pine Tree Extract)
Description
Pine tree is a powerful antioxidant because of the high contents of proanthocyanidins, the strongest bioflavonoid class. It has a strong anti-ageing effect, protects the skin from adverse UV radiation.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Pine tree needles contain a lot of vitamin C, carotene, vitamins B, PP and E, essential oil, resinous tannins, flavonoids, lignin, steroids, starch. It has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, vitaminizing and general strengthening effect. Pine tree extract is used to produce toothpaste, deodorants, soap, shampoo, hair conditioners.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antiseptic
- Tones skin
- Strengthens hair
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract (Rose Hips Extract)
Description
Rose hips, Gallic Rose, French Rose and other related species are perfect cosmetic component. The plant has so many therapeutic properties, that it alone may substitute a big amount of less “capable” synthetic and natural ingredients.
Rose hips contain a full range of vitamins and fatty acids, minerals, and microelements required to keep the skin well and healthy. Rose Hips Extract is efficient for mature skin care (tonics, lotions, creams, serum, face masks), oily and problem skin, and hair care. It is used in cosmetics both as an active component and natural pigment.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Rose Hip seed oil contains more than 15 types of various fatty acids, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Most of them are lenoic, linolenoic and oleic acids — the very acids that fortify the protective hydrolipidic skin film and serve as the construction material for its cells. These polyunsaturated acids are also in charge of the skin smoothness and elasticity, optimal hydration, protect it from destructive effects of the environment. Additionally, lenoic and oleic acids stimulate the natural cell regeneration, thus preventing premature skin withering and ageing.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-oxidant
- Bactericidal
- Stimulating
- Whitening
- Rejuvenating
- Recuperating
- Regenerating
Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract (Cloudberry Extract)
Description
Cloudberry is rich with vitamin C, it nourishes and refreshes skin and hair. It protects skin from the adverse effect of high and low temperatures, helps the skin to regenerate and obtain good state. It is good for sensitive and dry skin, as the fatty acids in the cloudberry oil not only moisturise the skin but also help to restore the protective barrier and immediately remove the stretching feeling. Vitamin E, phytosterols and carotenoids slow down the skin ageing process and additionally protect it from the adverse effect of ultraviolet radiation.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
The berries contain 3-6% of sugars, up to 0.8% of citric acid, apple acid, vitamins A and C, more than 3.5% pectin, magnesium, potassium, chrome, copper, sodium salts and some biologically active compounds. It is used to clean, moisturise and nourish the skin.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-acne
- Anti-oxidant
- Cleaning
- Nourishes skin
- Moisturises skin
Sorbus Sibirica Fruit Extract (Mountain Ash Tree Extract)
Description
Mountain ash (Lat. Sórbus aucupária) is a genus of trees or shrubs in the rose family Rosaceae. It is a widely-spread fruit tree of little value well noticeable for its bright berries that remain on the branches until late autumn and even through the winter. It is a shade-bearing and winter-hardy plant.
The extract of the berries is used in the skin care products as an anti-oxidant and source of vitamins. It is a natural disinfectant, can be used to treat seborrhoea.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Mountain ash berries are rich with vitamins C and P, carotene (provitamin A). It contains 4–8% of sugars (fructose, glucose, sorbose, sucrose), more than 2% of apple, citric, racemic and amber acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, organic acids, tannins, up to 22% of fatty oil.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-oxidant
- Nourishes skin
- Anti-dandruff
Mountain ash extract is used to produce Dr.Konopka´s cosmetic.
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract (Cranberry extract)
Description
Cranberry extract is a powerful antioxidant; it protects skin from ageing and is perfect for mature and injured skin. It contains tannins that provide the extract with antibacterial properties and help protect cosmetics from bacteria.
Chemical properties
The berries contain up to 3% of sugars, up to 0.3% of tannins, as well as citric, benzoic and other acids, vitamins C, K, B, and a lot of microelements. Can be used as whitener and nourisher. Cranberry extract stimulates skin, removes fatty gloss, moisteners and rejuvenates the skin.
COSMETIC PROPERTIES
- Anti-oxidant
- Anti-acne
- Anti-ageing
- Rejuvenating
- Whitens skin
- Nourishes skin
- Anti-inflammatory
- Reduces pores
- Stimulates skin
- Moisturises skin