Ashitaba incoming: Meet the beauty industry's latest star ingredient

PREVIOUSLY, ashitaba has mainly been seen as a superfood, but this Japanese plant could start making inroads into the world of cosmetics, especially in natural oils to enhance the skin. Here's a look at some of the benefits of this plant still relatively little known in the West and how it could soon become a star ingredient of the beauty sector.

Ashitaba is also known as Angelica keiskei, which means "tomorrow's leaf." It's a plant that belongs to the carrot family, and is native to Japan more precisely, to the country's Pacific coast. But while carrots promise a healthy glow and a long-lasting tan, while making skin more supple, ashitaba is known for other virtues.

What is ashitaba?

Ashitaba is a perennial plant with divided green leaves and white flowers. Its stems contain edible yellow sap. It is primarily as a food a superfood, even that the plant became famous. In Japan, it's consumed as a vegetable, but it is also often found in the form of tea, and used as an ingredient in certain "health" drinks.

Its many virtues

Ashitaba is said to improve the health of those who consume it, while helping extend their lives by several years. Although these benefits have not been confirmed by scientific studies, the profusion of ashitaba-based foods and products now springing up worldwide testifies to a certain enthusiasm and interest for the plant. In addition, a study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications in 2019 identified DMC (4,4'-dimethoxychalcone) a flavonoid found in ashitaba as a natural compound with anti-aging properties.

It is precisely these virtues that seem to interest some sections of the beauty industry today. It is mainly in the form of oil that we find this plant, often combined with other natural ingredients, promising an elixir of youth.

Where to find it

Based in France, the cosmetics brand Bijin is one of the first to promote this ingredient, which can be found in its "Concentré Jeunesse Visage" [Youthful Face Concentrate] from its Secret d'Okinawa range. Here, it is used in the form of an infusion, in association with Gettō another plant from Japan considered to have anti-aging properties. It promises to deeply nourish and preserve the skin while fighting against skin aging.

In a statement from the brand, Bijin explains that ashitaba is renowned for its anti-aging power, naturally reducing cellular decline by decreasing the formation of free radicals. The brand's "Concentré Jeunesse Visage" has a 100% plant-based formula and is available for €49 per 50 ml via its e-store.