What are the benefits of papyrus for the skin?

This refers to a semi-aquatic, herbaceous, and monocotyledonous plant native to Egypt. The papyrus plant thrives in warm, wet areas and requires a significant amount of light for growth. Today, it is becoming increasingly endangered in the Nile Delta.

Produced from 2500 BC, papyrus was the writing medium of the civilisation of ancient Egypt. A royal symbol of Lower Egypt and of life emerging from the primordial waters, as evidenced by various architectural and decorative elements, this plant was also the Hathoric symbol of power (Hathor being the mother of all the gods in the Egyptian pantheon).

There are several varieties and subspecies of papyrus, Cyperus papyrusL.being the most common and the one used in cosmetics.

In skincare, papyrus is used in the form of a cellular extract. This is obtained through an environmentally friendly biotechnological process that aims to reproduce and multiply cells from plant cell strains in a controlled environment. This method allows for the preservation of all the plant's natural elements. Rich in essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, the native papyrus cells thus obtained have a high molecular richness that provides them with a complementary action against other plant extracts (vegetable oils and essential oils). The native papyrus cells restore skin hydration through two complementary actions:

• Replenish the skin's water reservoir by stimulating cellular regeneration.

  The epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin, is predominantly composed of cells known as keratinocytes, which continually renew themselves in a cycle of approximately 28 days. Keratinocytes divide at the basal layer of the epidermis, which is primarily made up of undifferentiated cells, and migrate to the surface; they change shape, lose their nucleus, and become filled with keratin filaments. When they reach the stratum corneum, they transform into corneocytes, dead cells that form a solid, waterproof and protective membrane (thanks to keratin). Keratin contains various substances, including the intracellular Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF). The NMF is composed of hygroscopic substances that allow corneocytes to retain water: free amino acids (40%), pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (12%), lactates (12%), urea, sugars and mineral salts. Concurrently, during their keratinisation process, keratinocytes release a fraction of epidermal lipids which, combined with the secretion from the sebaceous glands and water from sweat secretions, form the hydrolipidic film, an emulsion located at the level of the stratum corneum. By promoting cell renewal, native papyrus cells contribute not only to the creation of keratin, which acts as a skin barrier, but also to the production of NMF and the creation of the hydrolipidic film, both of which retain water in the epidermis.

• Strengthening the corneocyte cohesion and thus the barrier function.

  Insensible water loss is related to the path that water takes from the inside to the surface of the skin before evaporating. This phenomenon relies on external factors such as temperature, humidity etc... as well as internal factors which are the condition of the stratum corneum, the water gradient in the different epidermal strata and the integrity of the inter-corneocyte lipid network. Native papyrus cells boost the synthesis of lipids (free fatty acids, cholesterol, ceramides, etc.) present in the stratum corneum, the very ones that contribute to maintaining the cohesion between the corneocytes and therefore the skin's barrier function. Thus, water has more difficulty evaporating and remains trapped longer within the skin layers.

Discover the native papyrus cells in our hydrating botanical blend. This night serum regenerates the skin and can be used as a substitute for your regular night cream.