Five Elements Elemental™ Renewal Serum is a specially formulated blend of beneficial plant oils, combined with Five Elements five healing herbal extracts. This intensive facial serum was developed to provide hydrating, restorative, and anti-aging benefits for women in the 30s, 40s, and 50+ range.
       As aging is the biological process by which our cells accumulate damage over time, there is strong evidence to show that incorporating a facial serum that contains plant oils and plant oil extracts into a daily skincare routine, can help counter the effects of aging.

Above: Five Elements Elemental™ Renewal Serum contains certified-organic Rosehip, Avocado, and Jojoba oils.

How do Facial Oils Benefit the Skin?

Facial oils are considered an emollient, which means they help strengthen the stratum corneum (outer layer) of the skin – by improving its barrier function. This means that moisture is retained within the skin and potentially harmful irritants and microbes are kept out. 

In addition to this, the constituents found in plant oil and plant extracts have a wide range of potential benefits that include anti-aging effects, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-oxidant effects, wound healing, and anti-microbial effects (See Summary of Benefits).

The Role of Fatty Acids

A principal component of plant oils are Fatty Acids, which play an important structural role in our cells, and are the building blocks of healthy cell membranes.

You may have heard of the importance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. In fact, two fatty acids are known to be essential for humans: alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), which means our body cannot make them and they need to be obtained from our diet.

In particular, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) help produce the skin's natural oil barrier, critical in keeping skin hydrated and youthful in appearance. Both of these essential fatty acids are found in high concentrations in avocado and rosehip oil, present in Elemental Renewal Serum (see below).

Beneficial Plant Oils

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) is a drought resistant shrub that is endemic to North America.  Its high wax ester content makes jojoba oil a good repair option for skin conditions with compromised barrier function, including eczematous dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and acne. Jojoba oil’s proven anti-inflammatory effects are beneficial for skin infections, skin aging, and wound healing. The high content of Eicosenoic Acid (an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid) may be what causes the oil to be so similar to our naturally produced sebum.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is derived from the fruit of Persea americana. It is rich in linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid. It also contains β-sitosterol, β-carotene, lecithin, minerals, and vitamins A, C, D, and E. It is an excellent source of enrichment for dry, damaged, or chapped skin. Research has shown improved wound healing, collagen production, and a reduction in the number of inflammatory cells after avocado oil was applied to the skin.

Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil, which is extracted from seeds of rosehip (Rosa canina L.), contains substantial Unsaturated Fatty Acids. The most abundant is linoleic acid followed by α-linolenic acid, and oleic acid.  A considerable number of lipophilic antioxidants are present, especially the tocopherols and carotenoids.  Rosehip oil is also high in phenolic acids, especially p-coumaric acid methyl ester, vanillin, and vanillic acid.
 
Due its high composition of UFAs and antioxidants, this oil has relatively high protection against inflammation and free radical damage. It has been shown to be effective against different inflammatory conditions such as eczema, neurodermatitis, and cheilitis.

Above. Fatty Acid Composition of Avocado, Rosehip, and Jojoba Oils 
in Elemental Renewal Serum. The vertical axis indicates the percentage of total fatty acid content in the oil component.

Healing Herbal Extracts

In addition to the plant oils described above: rosemary (R. officinalis), plantago (P. lanceolata), rumex (R. obtusifolius), ginkgo (G. biloba) and olive (Olea europaea), grown locally in Marlborough, New Zealand are included in all Five Elements products. These extracts have a large number of phytoactive molecules that have been scientifically demonstrated to provide effective anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, wound healing, and anti-aging effects. Due to the scope that they cover, we will address their benefits separately in an upcoming article.

Summary

There are multiple positive effects mediated by the constituents of plant oils that are present in high amounts in Elemental Renewal Serum. In a recent article published in The International Journal of Medical Sciences, researchers conducted a review of the scientific evidence showing the benefits of plant oils including rosehip avocado and jojoba oils.  The table below summarizes the main benefits.

"Beneficial Effects of Topical Application of Plant Oils." Adapted from Lin et al. (2018). (When there is no concrete evidence for the specific effect of topical treatment of some plant oils, it is indicated with “?”.)

Strong skin healing effects gained through the regular application of this product have been reported by our users. (Read Elemental Renewal Serum product reviews here by scrolling down the product page) Taken together, the superior healing properties of these plant oils and plant herbal extracts which may act synergistically when applied to the skin, motivated us to develop this serum to begin with, and have been backed up by positive feedback.

Take-Home Message:

• The oils present in Elemental Renewal Serum are high in Polyunsaturated fatty Acids which improve the barrier effect of the skin and help retain moisture.
• The antioxidants present in plant oils and plant oil extracts present in Elemental Renewal Serum help protect skin from damage by free radicals, which may, in turn, help counter the aging process
• A review of the scientific evidence shows plant oils and herbal extracts can provide multiple positive benefits when applied to the skin including prevention of aging, skin barrier effect, anti-inflammatory effects, anti-oxidant effects, wound-healing, and anti-microbial effects.
• Routine application of the plant oils and plant oil extracts described above and found in Elemental Renewal Serum has anecdotally shown strong benefits for women seeking anti-aging benefits.