According to a legend in the work Fasti written by the Roman poet Ovid, one night the striges, women transformed into birds of prey, attacked Proca, a newborn. But Proca was not just any child, he was the heir of Alba Longa, an ancient city in Lazio that would later be the birthplace of Romulus and Remus. The goddess Carna came quickly to the rescue of the newborn and knocked the door of the house of Proca three times with a branch of strawberry tree. In this way the goddess was able to drive away the striges. Strawberry tree is therefore a symbol of salvation, but also of immortality, since the plant is evergreen. These properties of the strawberry tree are not only tradition and make the plant a true elixir of youth for the skin, capable of fighting dark spots, wrinkles and aging processes, as well as protecting the skin from inflammation. We therefore enter the timeless legend, to create a powerful cosmetic with the gifts that nature itself offers us. But first let's see what science says about the cosmetic properties of the strawberry tree and in particular its leaves.
Strawberry tree leaves, what science says
The leaves of strawberry tree, or Arbutus unedo, contain arbutin. This substance helps to counteract dark spots on the skin by inhibiting the production of melanin (Jurica et al, Cytotechnology, 2018). Not only that, the strawberry tree leaves contain vitamin C and antioxidants that act with an anti-aging and anti-wrinkle action, useful for protecting against photoaging and capable of stimulating the production of collagen (Zlabur et al, Molecules, 2020 - Pullar et al, Nutrients, 2017). Finally, the strawberry tree leaves are also astringent, useful in case of acne and dilated pores, and highly antiseptic, helping to counteract skin irritations and infections (Oliveira et al, Food Chem Toxicol, 2009).
Strawberry tree leaves, DIY cosmetics
Therefore, strawberry tree leaves are a useful and effective cosmetic for all skin types, both mature with wrinkles but also with dark spots or acne and dilated pores. Let's see how to exploit the properties of strawberry tree leaves. Bring a cup of water to a boil, remove from heat and wait a minute. Add a tablespoon of dried strawberry tree leaves, you can find them in a herbalist's shop, and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Then filter and once cooled use as a tonic on the face. Then apply a serum oil and your face cream.
