It’s the first thing you notice when you arrive in the beautiful island of Corsica, the heady scent of the maquis, the mix of indigenous plants that cover it’s territory. It’s been said that Napoleon could sense his approach towards the coast of his native island with his eyes closed, by scent only.
A Maredda, or Immortelle, the plant whose flowers never change their shape or color even when dried, gives the Corsican maquis it’s particular warm and spicy scent. These little bouquets of golden yellow flowers contain potent anti-aging and therapeutic properties. An age old remedy used by grandmothers for a plethora of ailments, it is known to help heal wounds, as an anti-inflammatory and for anti-aging, among others. It has been shown to stimulate the regeneration of collagen.
Certain beauty companies, such as L’Occitane, have already exploited it’s extraordinary qualities in their anti-aging creams. The Immortelle grown in Corsica apparently has a higher concentration of it’s therapeutic ingredients and L’Occitane grows it’s Immortelle on the island. I mixed a few drops of essential oil of Immortelle that I picked up in Corsica with my regular face moisturizer and my body lotion.
If you have the chance to visit this beautiful island, I recommend a stop in the boutique Casanera, in Porto Vecchio. This chic shop offers beauty products and home scents all made from plants of the Maquis including Immortelle. Their candles will transport you back to your visit with their scents of the Maquis and endless summer.
A very promising ingredient that luckily we can try even without a trip to the magical island of Corsica.