From the sun-drenched fields of Spain comes the newest important ingredient in skin care - chamomile. While millions of Americans are familiar with chamomile as a soothing tea, the news is that chamomile has similar soothing effects on the skin. The special strain of chamomile flower, discovered by the European company CAMOCARE® almost 40 years ago, is rich in levomenol, a key skin-smoothing component that has a dramatic effect on the skin in terms of improving texture and reducing fine lines and wrinkles caused by pollution, stress and sun.

The use of chamomile dates back 2000 years to ancient Egypt, where women, like Cleopatra, crushed the petals of the flower to beautify and protect their skin from harsh, dry weather. And in 500 B.C., Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine in ancient Greece, recognized the therapeutic properties of chamomile. However, it is only in the last 40 years that chamomile has been subjected to the rigors of modern scientific evaluation which has revealed several interesting aspects of this potent flower.

Matricaria chamomilla - German Chamomile- Among chamomiles there is wide variation in the levels of active components. Phytomedical research has established the primacy of one variety, distinguished by the exceptionally high content of the active components: Matricaria chamomilla, commonly known as German chamomile. Using an efficient but complicated process of steam distillation, scientists can isolate and remove the essential oil from the herb's flowers and separate its primary active components: levomenol, azulenes and flavonoids can be standardized keeping effectiveness the same from batch to batch, bottle to bottle. The flavonoids, in particular, have documented antioxidant properties, which are known to protect skin from the ravages of free radicals, induced by pollution, sun over-exposure, poor diet or a host of other disease-causing agents. But, it is only when these active components are used together, in a standardized extract preparation, that chamomile's skin-restoring properties are effective.

The German chamomile extract cream was developed by CAMOCARE®, which has been using German chamomile as the variety of choice for its products for more than 40 years.

CAMOCARE® remains the only chamomile-based skin care line to back its products with clinical and laboratory testing to ensure the purity, potency and effectiveness of its products and to further the knowledge of this established medicinal plant. Despite rigorous raw material analysis, no testing involves animals. The end result is a cruelty free, globally patented extract, Camillosan™, which is the purest and most potent chamomile extract available in the world.