Edelweiss is a symbol of natural protection, purity and immortality. The Latin name of the plant, Leontopodium alpinum, translates as "lion footprints in the Alps" - all because of the flower's woolly texture.
Star of the glaciers
Scientifically speaking, edelweiss, or Leontopodium alpinum, is not a single flower but more than 50 to 500 tiny flowers clustered in 2-12 yellow flower heads surrounded by 5-15 velvety white leaves arranged in a star shape. Its optimal and original habitat is a subtropical climate - a Mediterranean or temperate-continental climate.
Place of growth
The flower grows where other plants fail to survive: high mountain plateaus, rocky mountain slopes, as well as alpine meadows. It easily tolerates a lack of moisture and oxygen, an excess of solar radiation, survives even during the most severe frosts.
Edelweiss is so strongly associated with the Alps that it is hard to believe that its historical homeland is the Himalayas and Siberia. Scientists believe that the flower emigrated from Asia to the Alps during the Ice Age. Today it can be found in many Alpine countries at high altitudes (2000 to 3000 meters), with the highest recorded flower located at 3140 meters.
The first written trace of the name edelweiss, which in German means "noble white", appeared in the study of the Austrian naturalist Carl von Moll in 1785, but it was not until the middle of the 19th century that the word "edelweiss" transcended languages and borders.
The secret of resilience
The endurance of edelweiss is caused by its high content of bioprotectors which are unique substances that help it survive drought and temperature fluctuations.
Bioprotectors, presented in the form of leontopodic and chlorogenic acids, prevent cell death by slowing down lipid oxidation, which is caused by the skin's exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
A powerful antioxidant
Edelweiss extract has a pronounced protective, softening and anti-inflammatory effect. Bisabolan, sitosterol, tannins, chlorogenic acid, apigenin-7-glucoside, luteolin, polyphenols determine its unique ability to resist the effects of free radicals.
The index of the antioxidant activity of edelweiss extract in cosmetics is twice as high as that of vitamin C, known for its antioxidant properties. This comes as no surprise, since the plant has managed to develop many protective mechanisms in the process of evolution to protect itself from exposure to high levels of solar radiation and other aggressive factors.
Beneficial properties
Edelweiss extract reduces the activity of hyaluronidase, an enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid. It protects skin cells from various damages and prevents the aging process. It also has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. The extract contains phytosterols, amino acids, polysaccharides with moisturizing, nourishing and firming properties.