The Plant That Comes Back to Life - and What's That to Do with My Skin?

You may have seen our recent LEORA reel showing a rather strange-looking little plant sitting in a bowl – dry, brown, curled up and looking most certainly dead.

Then we added water. Slowly, it began to unfurl. Its dried, fern-like leaves opened out and, within hours, it started turning green again.

Meet a resurrection plant

The plant you saw in the reel is commonly known as a Rose of Jericho, one of a remarkable group of plants known as resurrection plants because of their ability to survive long periods of extreme dehydration and unfurl again when water returns.

One resurrection plant in particular, Myrothamnus flabellifolia, is especially interesting because of its connection with Glycoin® natural.

This plant grows in the deserts of Africa and has an extraordinary survival mechanism. During long periods of drought, it dries out and appears withered and dead, yet when touched by droplets of rain, it can revive and re-green within just a few hours.

And this is how it does it:

During dehydration, the plant activates its own protective systems to help shield its cell structures from damage. Then, when touched by droplets of water, it switches on repair systems to restore damaged cellular structures and functions before gradually springing back to life.

“But what,” you may ask, “does any of this have to do with my skin?” – Quite a lot, actually!

Meet Glycoin® natural

One of the molecules involved in this remarkable survival response is glyceryl glucoside – the molecule behind Glycoin® natural. During dehydration, it helps protect the plant’s cellular structures from damage and, when moisture returns, it helps reactivate and stimulate the plant’s cell functions, bringing it back to life.

And this is where things get really interesting for skincare.

Glycoin® natural is a 100% natural multifunctional skincare active that has been studied particularly for its effects on mature, dry, tired and stressed skin.

“But my skin is beyond resurrection,” you might say, or, “My skin isn’t there yet.”

Well, did you know that our skin begins to age from around the age of 30?

As we get older, a number of changes gradually begin to take place:

• The epidermis can become up to 50% thinner between the ages of 30 and 80.

• Overall epidermal thickness decreases by around 6.4% every 10 years, with the decline occurring faster in women than in men.

• The natural ageing process leads to a loss of skin elasticity and thickness, contributing to the development of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Skin ageing is also associated with a decrease in skin hydration.

• And it isn’t only time that affects our skin. External stressors such as sun exposure, visible light and pollution can accelerate the ageing process and have been reported to contribute to more than 90% of premature skin ageing.

So, as our skin matures, ingredients that can support hydration, skin vitality, elasticity, density and the skin’s own protective functions become increasingly important.

And this is where Glycoin® natural caught my interest.

So, how can Glycoin® natural benefit your skin?

Studies suggest that Glycoin® natural can support the skin in several different ways. It has been shown to:

• support skin hydration and help reduce moisture loss

• improve the look and feel of dry, rough skin

• support skin elasticity, smoothness and firmness

• support skin vitality and help protect against oxidative and environmental stress

• help reduce some of the visible signs associated with ageing, including wrinkles

• support the skin microbiome

Some of the results are particularly striking:

In one four-week study, a cream containing 1% Glycoin® natural, applied twice daily, was reported to increase skin moisturisation by 23%, skin elasticity by 93% and skin smoothness by 62%.¹

A separate study found that 1% Glycoin® natural increased the density of mature skin by up to 9.9% after four weeks.²

Another eight-week study using a facial cream containing 2% Glycoin® natural, applied twice daily, reported a 24% increase in skin firmness, a 3% reduction in skin roughness and a 7% reduction in wrinkle volume.²

And when researchers looked specifically at hydration, Glycoin® natural showed a significant long-term effect, with skin hydration increasing by 26% after four weeks and 45% after eight weeks of using a cream containing 2% Glycoin® natural.²

There’s more to Glycoin® natural than those visible results, too. In laboratory studies, it was shown to increase the vitality and metabolic activity of ageing skin cells by up to 170%, while also supporting the skin’s own antioxidant defences.¹

And to top it all off, Glycoin® natural is microbiome-friendly, meaning it helps support the skin’s natural protective environment.

Why Glycoin® natural earned its place in LEORA's product range

It was the plant’s extraordinary ability to protect, survive and revive that first led scientists to Glycoin® natural. And those same protective, hydrating and revitalising properties are exactly what made me want to include it in LEORA’s Cell-Renewal Ultra-Hydrating Serum (coming soon to LEORA’s luxury Esther range).

I wanted this serum to do more than provide a temporary burst of hydration. I wanted it to support skin that feels dry, dehydrated, tired or stressed, while also addressing some of the changes that naturally come with ageing.

And Glycoin® natural was perfect for the job – an incredible ingredient, inspired by one of nature’s most remarkable survivors!

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References

1. Schagen, S. K., Overhagen, S. and Bilstein, A., ‘New Data Confirm Skin Revitalizing and Stress Protection by Glycoin® Natural’, EURO COSMETICS, issue 1/2 (2017), pp. 24–27.

2. bitop AG, ‘Glycoin® Natural: A Multifunctional Bioactive with Comprehensive Anti-Aging Efficacy’, EURO COSMETICS Magazine, 5 April 2023.

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© LEORA Natural Skincare 2026. The information contained herein is provided for information purposes only; the contents are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents herein. We disclaim, to the full extent permissible by law, all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents herein.