Harnessing the Power of Florals

Flower power from the source to your skin.

At fresh, we are endlessly inspired by natural remedies – and how we extract their potency for the skin and senses. Take rose-infused baths, for example. What was once Cleopatra’s obsession we recreated as a face mask. Or the sacred lotus plant used in Southeast Asia as a source of food and medicine we reinvented for the skin. With our Rose, Lotus, and Floral Recovery Collections, we harness the natural power of flowers through science for optimal skin benefits.

Damask rose extract

Dubbed “nature’s wonder,” the rose is an object of beauty. Cleopatra bathed in rose petals, presumably for their amazing beauty benefits and iconic scent. We researched 200 rose species and selected the Bulgarian damask rose for its remarkable ability to attract and retain moisture.

Sourced from Rose Valley, Bulgaria, the damask rose undergoes a rigorous extraction process for our formulas. Only bloomed roses are handpicked before dawn and in a controlled environment and then dried at a low temperature. Then we gently hydrolyze the flower at 50°C using a single enzyme to extract its bioactive molecules. Lastly, we purify the molecules using ultrafiltration and nanofiltration to create our damask rose extract.

Found in our Rose Collection, from toners and serums to face creams and masks, this extract is scientifically proven to boost skin’s natural hyaluronic acid levels and strengthen skin’s barrier to protect from water loss. Plus, the fresh rose scent found in each formula adds a mood-enhancing quality to the experience.

Super Lotus

Having existed for over 138 million years, the lotus plant is considered sacred in many cultures. Known as a symbol of purification, it rises through murky waters to blossom into a stunning flower. In Southeast Asia, there is such respect for this plant that they use every part – petals, roots, seeds, and stem – for food, fabric, and as a remedy for the skin.

We source our lotus plants from Ten Mile Creek Farm in Alabama and use the entire living plant to create our potent Super Lotus extract. This extract captures the active molecules of the plant to preserve skin’s youth (think smooth, radiant skin). To obtain the extract, we first handpick the lotus plants right from the water while they are in full bloom. Within an hour, a scientist measures the plants to ensure that the active molecules are still intact. Then, the whole living plant – flower, stem, and leaves – is gently pressed to extract the juice. Lastly, the juice is further concentrated using a youth-fractioning technique to create our Super Lotus ingredient. Any plant by-products are returned to the soil to help maintain ecological balance.

Super Lotus extract addresses the first signs of aging by helping to smooth the look of lines, boost radiance, and protect from daily stressors. It’s found in our entire Lotus Collection, featuring day and night moisturizers, eye and mask treatments, and an AHA night serum.

Floral recovery

In Greek mythology, Achilles supposedly used cornflowers to tend to his wound. Inspired by its soothing anti-inflammatory properties, we set out to find other efficacious flowers to create a calming treatment mask proven to even skin tone. We selected four flowers – cornflower, passionflower, peony, and cherry blossom – for their ability to soothe and help reduce visible redness, even on sensitive skin. Each ingredient has its own specific skincare benefits and extraction process:

• Cornflower water refreshes and soothes the skin. We used a steam distillation technique to extract its potency from the plant.
• Passionflower oil helps to hydrate and calm while reducing visible redness and soothing signs of discomfort. The seeds are pressed and further concentrated to create the nourishing oil, rich in omega 6 and 9 fatty acids.
• Peony extract helps to calm, hydrate, and promote a more even skin tone. The extraction process includes steeping the root bark at room temperature for up to a week, followed by a series of filtrations.
• Cherry blossom extract helps to calm and improve skin’s texture. The flowers are harvested on a farm by hand without causing damage to the cherry trees. A selection of the most precious botanical compounds of the flower is isolated, steeping the root bark to produce the extract.