Stem cell derived growth factors are definitely the IT ingredient of 2011. But if you are a beauty company that is all about organic botanicals, then human derived stem cells are out. The next best thing is stem cells from fruit and Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer ($65 now in the TIA store) is based on stem cells taken from apple and grape buds, lemon bark, and apple, grape and lemon juices. After testing this anti-aging moisturizer for over a month, I don’t think that fruit stem cells are on a par with powerful human growth factors such as you will find products by ReLuma or E’shee. But that would be comparing apples and pears. Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer is an effective moisturizer with an outstanding price to quality ratio.

What makes plant derived stem cells so enticing is that they live forever. According to Wikipedia, “plant stem cells never undergo aging process but immortally give rise to new specialized and unspecialized cells, and they have the potential to grow into any organ, tissue, or cell in the body”. British scientists found that plant stem cells were much more sensitive to DNA damage than other cells. And once they sense damage, they trigger death of these cells.  (Click here for more on apple and fruit stem cells).

Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer fruit stem cells are not mere tokens; they feature near the top of an ingredients list that is packed full of useful ingredients, many of which are organic. Naturally, the base is Juice Beauty’s signature blend apple, grape, lemon and aloe juices and this comfortable and soothing moisturizer has plenty of shea butter and jojoba. Aging skin will appreciate the essential fatty acids from evening primrose, linseed (flax) and borage. The combination of flax and borage got a thumbs up from German researchers, who found that it smoothed out rough, red skin. I certainly have seen an improvement in skin tone.

Worthy of a shout out is the unusual packaging. Most beauty consumers know that there has been a massive trend towards airless pumps. While great in theory, they aren’t always so good in practice, as anyone who has pumped in vain and then had to exchange the product knows.  Juice Beauty’s Stem Cellular comes in a pot with a flat surface that you depress until the cream appears and so far, for me, has worked flawlessly. In fact, later this week you’ll see Karen Behnke, the founder of Juice Beauty demonstrate it in a video interview that we taped with her when she dropped in to New York and told us about why she started Juice Beauty and how the key ingredients work.

Stem Cellular has a distinctive smell that I find refreshing and zesty. The only thing not to love here is sodium benzoate, a controversial preservative.

Ingredients

Organic Juices of Pyrus Malus Juice (Apple*), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) (Grape*), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) (Lemon*), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice (*), Glycerin, Octyl Palmitate, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Malus Sylvestris Buds (Apple), Vitis Vinifera Buds (Grape), Citrus Limonum (Lemon) Bark (Lemon), Organic Plant Oils of Helianthus Annuus Seed (Sunflower), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Shea Butter*), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed (Jojoba*), Organic Essential Fatty Acids of Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose), Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed, Borage (Borago Officinalis) Seed (Borage*), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C) (Vitamin C), Xanthan Gum , Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Allantoin (Comfrey Root), Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E) (Vitamin E), Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Citrus Reticulata (Mandarin Orange) (Mandarin), Litsea Cubeb (Litsea Cubeba) (May Chang), Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor) (Pure Essential Oils)(Ho wood) * = organic