To care for our skin in an increasingly harsh environment, the giant cosmetic companies of the world are all turning to the natural curative, beautifying and preserving properties of plants. Their idea is hardly new. It derives from bygone eras and dusty books forgotten since the birth of modern medicine and advances in science and technology.

For one marque, the newfound interest in botanics for beauty is not just a response to the mood of the moment. Indeed, for over thirty years, Clarins Instituts de Beaute have been creating and applying products developed from botanical extracts. Plant-consciousness was revolutionary to modern cosmotology when the founder of Clarins, Jacques Courtin-Clarins began developing his products.

Pointing to an ancient book, yellowed almost beyond recognition, Courtin explains how Clarins has unearthed an age old wizardry. "We look for plants that have been used in a particular indication for generations by a population. Then we prove the effectiveness with very rigorous testing", he says. "If you go back to the very beginning of Clarins, you will see that the whole range consisted of six products: three oils for the face and three for the body - complex blends of essential oils made up entirely from plant extracts. I went back to plants. For example, Moringa, which grows in Madagascar, has long been used to heal babies skins when they are red and irritated. Recognising its healing and regenerative properties, we decided this would be a useful extract for skincare products.