Plant Stem Cells
Antioxidant-rich extracts from plant cell cultures that help protect the skin; they do not act as stem cells in your own skin.
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Ageing skin · Dull skin
What it does
Plant stem cells are the unspecialised cells in a plant's growing tips that can develop into new tissue. Skincare brands grow them in laboratory cultures and use the extract, rich in antioxidants and other protective compounds, to help defend the skin against environmental stress and support a smoother, more even look. Culturing cells also lets rare plants, such as edelweiss, be used without harvesting them from the wild. On a label they appear as 'cell culture', 'callus culture' or 'meristem cell' extracts.
How it works
Plant stem cells cannot become human cells, and the processed extract contains no living cells. Any benefit comes from what the cultured cells produce: antioxidants, peptides and other compounds that may help protect the skin's own cells from oxidative stress. The evidence is mostly laboratory and brand-led, so think of them as a refined botanical rather than a regenerative therapy. 'Stem cell' on a pack can also describe research or technology aimed at the skin's own stem cells, which is a different thing from a plant extract.
MG says
In the studio, The Ultimate Collagen Treatment pairs skin pen microneedling with an infusion of stem cells, growth factors and dermal boosters, chosen to help skin look smoother, firmer and more radiant. At home, Augustinus Bader's The Serum, which includes an edelweiss cell culture, is one I like to layer under my moisturiser and SPF in the morning.
Cautions
Plant stem cell extracts are generally well tolerated. As with any botanical, patch test first if your skin is sensitive or prone to allergies.
