Bitter oranges (Citrus aurantium L.) are very popular in Northwest Africa where they gently perfume the ryhads (private gardens in traditional Moroccan homes) while providing shade to inhabitants.
Naturex has built up a network of pickers named Fellaheen who gather the flowers from March to June. They are then sun-dried and ready for extraction. Bitter orange flowers show great intrinsic skin hydrating potential, based on glyco-synthesis action. Aurealis is an active extracted from bitter orange flower that stimulates the synthesis of glycans in the skin. These compounds are involved in the regulation of water retention. Throughout life, skin weakens, becoming thinner and drier. Aurealis helps to counteract this effect and restore the thickness of the skin, starting from the basal layer of the epidermis. The latest double-blind, placebo-controlled, in vivo study reveals even more complete action on dry skin. Echography test results demonstrated an increase of 4.16% in thickness of deep layers of the skin compared to placebo after only one month of use (p<0.001). By fully promoting the glyco-synthesis in the skin, the thickening effect is maintained as long as Aurealis is used. The active also demonstrates potent filling action, with a visible plumping effect. After three months the results show a wrinkle-depth reduction of 10.8% compared to placebo (p<0.05). A self-assessment programme was conducted under the control of a dermatologist alongside the in vivo study. Eighty-five per cent of participants reported smoother skin after using Aurealis for only 28 days (significant vs. placebo).
