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Stone crop skin care products are Eminence Organics classics for good reason. From our award-winning Stone Crop Masque to the best-selling Stone Crop Hydrating Mist, skin care fanatics will always find a place on their bathroom shelf for these perennial favorites that hydrate and brighten the appearance of dark spots. To help improve your complexion, learn how this stone crop ingredient can help soothe dry skin and minimize the visible signs of aging.
Stone crop is a small, succulent plant commonly found in Hungary, and its name literally means “a crop grown in stone.” This unique plant can thrive in rocky soil and can even grow on top of rocks alone. With its shallow root system, it requires very little soil or water to flourish. This hardy succulent does best in a moderate, dry environment but can survive almost anywhere with a little care. One fantastic application for the stone crop plant? It’s ideal for green roofs because it’s easy to grow, doesn’t attract pests and is resistant to disease.
To produce our stone crop products, the plant is hand processed from beginning to end. We hand pick each stone crop, cut it into quarters, then press out the fresh juice that retains all the natural hydrating qualities of the plant.
Another processing method we use is drying and pulverizing the succulent into powder before blending it into a skin care product. Watch our Made In Hungary video to see our stone crop plants picked and sorted, hand cut and squeezed into our farm fresh products.
Interesting fact: The stone crop plant turns red in cold weather. To make sure that products like our Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer and Stone Crop Masque keep their vibrant green color, we plant our stone crop plants in trays and bring them indoors before the first cold snap!
Like other succulents (think aloe vera and prickly pear), stone crop offers deeply effective yet lightweight hydration. As Eminence Organics President Boldijarre Koronczay explained to DAYSPA: “Not only does the stone crop plant help reduce pigmentation and [brighten] the complexion, it also assists in … firming stressed skin, toning the epidermis, moisturizing, helping reduce signs of aging and calming sensitive skin.” Here are a few benefits of stone crop for your skin.
1. Heals Dry Skin
Like other succulents, stone crop has adapted to a dry environment by retaining large amounts of water in its stem and leaves. Our General Manager, Attila Koronczay, tells Dermstore: “Most succulents have a very shallow root system, relying on rainfall, mist or dew to provide all the water it needs to thrive. The shape of stone crop funnels water into the center of the plant, where it is stored until the plant needs to use the water to grow.” This water-storing capability enables stone crop to deeply hydrate and heal dry and dehydrated complexions.
2. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
For centuries, stone crop has been used in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. The bruised leaves of the fresh plant or juice collected from its leaves were traditionally applied as a poultice to treat a wide range of skin problems, including burns, eczema and ulcers. This ability to reduce inflammation makes stone crop an ideal remedy for uncomfortable symptoms of dry, sensitive skin, such as redness and itching.
3. Brightens Skin
When dark spots appear on your complexion, your skin has gone into overdrive producing melanin. This is often due to stress such as UV exposure or hormonal imbalances. Similar to other natural hydroquinone alternatives, stone crop brightens skin by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, the enzyme that is responsible for melanin production. Over time, this minimizes the look of dark spots and contributes to a more even-looking complexion.
4. Smooths Wrinkles
Scientific studies confirm that stone crop is rich in antioxidants that reduce the visible signs of aging. Antioxidants like anthocyanin and quercetin neutralize free radicals that cause oxidative damage to the skin and, over time, contribute to premature aging. By minimizing potential damage, these antioxidants help delay the emergence of fine lines and wrinkles and help skin stay youthful for longer.
Who better to recommend options from our Stone Crop Collection than Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar? Watch the full In The Mix video below, and read along for Natalie’s advice on how to use stone crop products.
When In Doubt – Stone Crop It Out
… At Eminence Organics, we have this fabulous little tagline that we use: “When in doubt, stone crop it out,” and that’s for good reason. It is good for all skin types; everybody can use it.
Gentlemen that I know also enjoy using it because it’s very fresh in scent – not highly floral – making it very friendly for anyone to use. Stone crop also helps minimize the appearance of redness from dry skin so, thinking about men who often shave their face, our stone crop products are great to help soothe the skin after shaving.
Product Recommendations
[The Stone Crop Collection includes] Stone Crop Gel Wash – a Top Ten product, Stone Crop Masque, Stone Crop Hydrating Gel and Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer. One of my favorite parts about the Stone Crop Collection is that they give you an option of using a nice lightweight gel to finish your home care routine or you can use a cream. So whether you’re oily-combination or combination-to-dry, this is a really great piece to introduce a collection to your friends, family or yourself.
A newer addition is Stone Crop Cleansing Oil from our Microgreens Collection. Any of you who use cleansing oils will know that they’re fabulous for double cleansing, an incredibly valuable technique for you makeup gurus out there because it really helps to lift and pull everything off. This cleansing oil is also very effective for those of you who are dealing with problem skin. Don’t forget: oil for oil. Just because you have an oilier skin type doesn’t mean you can’t use cleansing oils. This will leave the face beautifully even in tone afterward, so I know you’re going to love this one.
We also added Stone Crop Oxygenating Fizzofoliant in this collection, which is like the sister or the brother to our Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant. Take any cleanser you like – you could even use Stone Crop Cleansing Oil or Stone Crop Gel Wash – and use a couple of shakes, adding a little bit of water. This will really help with skin that is experiencing milia, blackheads and congestion.
The one product I can’t live without, to be honest, is our Stone Crop Hydrating Mist. Any of you who love mineral makeup or powders, this mist is super brilliant as a setting spray. It doesn’t leave a dry residue and it really makes the skin look not super dewy – but very hydrated. It is my gym bag companion. It’s the thing that refreshes me all day long. It smells amazing and it doesn’t annoy anybody sitting beside you either. As I said, when in doubt, stone crop it out!
We have other stone crop products as well, including Stone Crop Body Lotion. This beautiful succulent plant truly has a lot to offer and has inspired one of the most special lines that we have.
If you’re already a fan of our signature stone crop ingredient, elevate your body care ritual with the Stone Crop Body Collection. There’s nothing quite like a face mask to step up your skin care routine. The right mask is not just an indulgent treat – it can also tackle key skin concerns and conditions, from dryness and dehydration to large pores and acne. Read on here to learn how often to use a face mask and choose the right one for your unique complexion.
Credits: Jen Wynn, Eminence Organics Skin Care
