Herbal traditions have used these plants for centuries, but we like to go a step further and look at what modern research actually shows. Below are eight herbs in our Beauty Elixir blend, along with a plain-language look at the peer-reviewed studies behind each one — with a focus on complexion, collagen, elasticity, and skin firmness.
Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria)
In a study on human skin cell lines, a 5% water-glycerol extract of ground elder inhibited the activity of both collagenase and elastase — the enzymes responsible for breaking down collagen and elastin as skin ages — by over 70%, while also boosting the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts, the cells that build and maintain skin structure. A broader review of plant extracts used in skin care specifically named Aegopodium podagraria among the botanicals with genuine anti-aging evidence. A comprehensive review of the plant's health-promoting properties confirmed its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, supporting its emerging use as a cosmetological ingredient. 🔗 Elastase/collagenase study (PubMed) · Skin care review (PubMed) · Health-promoting properties review (PubMed)
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Laboratory testing on human dermal fibroblasts found that an ethanolic extract of calendula flowers inhibited collagenase activity while directly increasing the amount of soluble collagen produced by the cells. In a separate study using a scratch-wound model, both hexane and ethanolic calendula extracts stimulated the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts at low concentrations, cell behavior essential for rebuilding skin structure. A comprehensive review of calendula's therapeutic potential highlighted quercetin, one of its key flavonoids, as a driver of collagen-supportive activity through inhibition of collagen-degrading matrix metalloproteinases. 🔗 Collagen/collagenase study (PubMed) · Fibroblast migration study (PubMed) · Therapeutic review (PMC)
Olive Leaf (Olea europaea)
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of daily olive leaf extract supplementation stabilized circulating elastin levels (which rose in the placebo group) and reduced pentosidine, a marker of collagen cross-linking damage that stiffens skin over time; an exploratory skin analysis in a subgroup also found a significant reduction in visible pore number. In laboratory testing, olive leaf extract protected human skin fibroblasts from UVA-induced oxidative damage and cell death, largely attributed to its main compound, oleuropein. A related review of the olive tree's effects on skin noted that oleuropein and its metabolite hydroxytyrosol reduce activity of the same matrix metalloproteinase enzymes responsible for elastin breakdown, while increasing collagen type I expression in photoaged skin cells. 🔗 Human clinical trial (PMC) · UVA fibroblast protection study (PMC) · Skin biology review
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
In direct testing, oregano essential oil showed superior anti-skin-ageing activity compared to ascorbic acid (vitamin C), inhibiting collagenase by 92%, elastase by 53%, and hyaluronidase by nearly 17% — with carvacrol identified as the main compound responsible for this effect. In a laboratory model using human keratinocytes, oregano essential oil reduced markers of oxidative and inflammatory damage while actively facilitating wound healing. A separate study using a human skin disease model found that oregano essential oil significantly modulated tissue-remodeling biomarkers, including collagen I and III, supporting a genuine role in skin structural maintenance. 🔗 Anti-skin-ageing study (PubMed) · Wound healing/keratinocyte study (PubMed) · Tissue remodeling study (PMC)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
In a comparative screening of 17 flower petal extracts for cosmetic anti-aging potential, lilac stood out specifically for its significant anti-tyrosinase activity, relevant to maintaining an even, bright complexion. Chemical analysis of lilac flowers identified high concentrations of the phenylpropanoid acteoside (verbascoside) alongside oleuropein, compounds associated with antioxidant and skin-supportive activity, and confirmed remarkable overall antioxidant capacity in the flower extract. A separate chemical profiling study of lilac flowers, leaves, bark, and fruit confirmed strong free-radical scavenging activity across multiple antioxidant assays, supporting the plant's potential to protect skin cells from oxidative aging. 🔗 Anti-aging petal study (PMC) · Phenolic characterization study (PubMed) · Antioxidant profile study (PubMed)
Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
In a prospective pilot study, 15 volunteers who applied a cream containing horsetail extract to the forehead for eight weeks showed a measurable improvement in wrinkle appearance, an effect attributed partly to horsetail's ability to inhibit hyaluronidase, the enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid needed for tissue hydration and repair. In a laboratory model using human keratinocytes exposed to inflammatory triggers, horsetail extract showed genuine anti-inflammatory activity, supporting its traditional use for irritated, reactive skin. Separately, horsetail extract was confirmed to have significant antioxidant activity in radical-scavenging and lipid-peroxidation assays, consistent with its high silica and flavonoid content. 🔗 Anti-wrinkle cream pilot study (PMC) · Anti-inflammatory keratinocyte study (PMC) · Antioxidant activity study (PMC)
Moldavian Dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica)
In a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, healthy women aged 35–65 who took an oral Moldavian dragonhead extract supplement showed significant improvements in skin hydration and increased dermal and full-skin thickness compared to placebo, alongside laboratory evidence that the extract stimulates genes essential for skin structure. Separately, research identifying collagen as a key driver of longevity found that Moldavian dragonhead extract supported collagen-related healthspan markers, reinforcing the extract's role as a plant-based, "beauty from within" alternative to animal-derived collagen supplements. A phytochemical study of the plant's antioxidant compounds, including rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid, confirmed strong free-radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activity relevant to skin aging. 🔗 Human clinical trial · Collagen/longevity study (PubMed) · Antioxidant/anti-inflammatory study (PMC)
Nettle Leaf (Urtica dioica)
A dedicated study on nettle's cosmetic potential confirmed that nettle leaf extracts inhibit both elastase and collagenase activity, attributing the effect specifically to the compounds ursolic acid and quercetin found in the leaves, alongside a strong overall antioxidant capacity. In laboratory testing on human skin fibroblasts, nettle extract protected cells from oxidative stress and was noted to stimulate collagen production while offering protection against UVB radiation damage. A broader review of nettle's antioxidant activity confirmed its contribution to the plant's wide-ranging biological effects, including its emerging role in skin health applications. 🔗 Anti-aging cosmetic study · Fibroblast protection study (PMC)· Antioxidant activity review (PMC)
Why This Matters
Each of these herbs has been studied individually for its effects on the enzymes and processes that drive visible skin aging — largely in laboratory and cell-culture studies, with an encouraging number of human clinical trials for herbs like olive leaf and Moldavian dragonhead. We combine them because their documented modes of action work together on skin firmness and complexion from several angles: inhibiting the collagenase and elastase enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, protecting skin cells from the oxidative stress that accelerates aging, and in some cases directly supporting the genes and cellular processes behind new collagen production.
This post is for educational purposes and summarizes existing scientific literature. It is not medical advice, and our blend is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a healthcare provider before using herbal supplements, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have an underlying health condition.