Immortelle essential oil, an effective anti-wrinkle solution?

It is natural to observe wrinkles gradually forming over the course of life. These small streaks result from a decrease in the number of fibroblasts in the skin, the dermal cells that produce collagen fibres, responsible for its firmness, and elastin, tasked with preserving its elasticity, as well as hyaluronic acid molecules that help maintain good skin hydration. Skin ageing is also accelerated by exposure to the sun's UV rays, which generate free radicals in the cells. These radicals damage DNA and proteins, including collagen and elastin, thus hastening the onset of wrinkles.

The emergence of wrinkles depends on both internal and external factors.

Typically extracted through hydrodistillation from the flowering tops ofHelichrysum italicum, the essential oil of immortelle is sometimes considered a natural solution for preventing and reducing wrinkles. Indeed, this essential oil, with its subtle scent of honey and curry, is believed to be capable ofinhibiting the activities of collagenase and elastase, the enzymes respectively responsible for breaking down the peptide bonds of collagen and elastin. According to an in vitro study, the median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of immortelle essential oil would be 36.99 ± 1.52 μg/mL for collagenase and 135.43 ± 6.32 μg/mL for elastase. As a reminder, the IC50 corresponds to the concentration required to inhibit half of a biological process, such as the activity of an enzyme for example.

Furthermore, the Italian helichrysum essential oil has an antioxidant activity that is useful in combating skin ageing, particularly demonstrated during a DPPH test. This test measures the ability of an antioxidant to reduce the DPPH° chemical radical by transferring a hydrogen atom. The immortelle essential oil has shown its ability to halve the radical at a concentration of 17.61 ± 0.16 mg/mL. The antioxidant properties of the Italian helichrysum essential oil come from its interesting phytochemical composition, and more specifically from its richness in neryl acetate. By stabilising free radicals before they attack cells and their constituents, this botanical extract could slow down exogenous skin sagging.

The effectiveness of immortelle essential oil in combating wrinkles was investigated in a recent clinical trial. On this occasion, 31 women aged between 40 and 60 years, presenting with grade II-V wrinkles according to the Bazin wrinkle scale, were recruited. For 84 consecutive nights, the volunteers applied a cream composed of Italian helichrysum essential oil, melatonin and carnosine. The number of wrinkles, the volume of wrinkles as well as the depth of wrinkles, presented in the table below, were significantly reduced over the course of the study.