Sun-dried
iris root, matured for three years to develop its duplicate
fragrance, has been known for centuries for its extraordinary
moisture-retaining and regulating properties. In weleda's
Iris facial care range, balanced and harmonised by pure
essential oils and plant extracts, iris root is used to
maintain moisture balance, keeping your skin looking supple
and youthful.
Iris was the name given by the ancient Greeks to the goddess
who was the gods’ messenger to human beings. Her symbol
was the rainbow - the many-coloured refraction of sunlight
coming through raindrops. Like the rainbow, the Iris plant
combines the natural forces of water and light in an unusually
powerful way. It is a plant that can adapt to extreme dryness
or moisture.
The Iris’s stems are its rhizomes which grow over
the surface of the earth rather than up in the air as part
of its amazing ability to store moisture collected by the
roots beneath. By constant adjustment to moisture conditions
the Iris always has the reserves to produce its dramatically
fast spring growth.
The rhizome, stalk and leaves have special layers to protect
them from drying out. The top of each new leaf looks as
if it is covered with dew but these droplets come from inside
the plant, secreted by the Iris through special cracks to
give each leaf its own moist micro-climate, keeping it smooth
and soft.
In skin care Iris is used to help the skin regulate its
moisture content. Iris extract on the skin surface, the
outmost epidermal layer, holds moisture there, giving an
immediate feeling of moisturisation. This layer of dead
skin cells, the stratum corneum, is the only one reached
by many skin creams. Iris, however, has fatty acids which
can penetrate and nourish the lower epidermal cells which
produce keratin, giving the skin resilience and melanin,
the pigment which protects us from sunlight.
Lack of fatty acids can lead to excess loss of water through
the skin leaving it dry and feeling sensitive. The plant
oils are a source of fatty acids and they work with other
substances in the Iris to help the skin regulate its own
moisture balance.
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