Organic cranberry – Full power for mature skin
Super fruit and happy ageing partner – organic cranberry is the perfect plant-based ingredient for skincare, especially after the age of 45. In some lavera facial and bodycare products, we use valuable extracts from this small “wonder berry” for natural skincare.
The power fruit from North America has what it takes
Cranberries belong to the same genus as the blueberry. The large majority of cranberries are cultivated in their habitat of North America. In nature, the plants can be found in acidic raised bog areas, which the small power berries are especially fond of due to the swampy ground. Cranberries grow on small shrubs that grow to a height of just 30 cm.
After flowerering in May, the plants develop small fruits that mature the whole summer long, until these juicy berries are harvested in the “Indian summer” from mid-September to early November. At this point, with a diameter of about 15 mm, the small berries enjoy a wild “pool party”: In what is known as a “wet harvest”, the extensive cranberry fields are flooded with collected rainwater. Using special harvesting machines, the mass of water is then stirred to the extent needed until the ripe fruits come off the shrubs.
Thanks to their four air pockets, cranberries float on the water surface. They are then harvested by suction, fished, or picked with harvesting machines and sent for further processing. In what is known as a “bouncing test”, the cranberries then have to show what they are capable of: Only those berries that can bounce about 10 cm into the air 7 times deserve a second round. These small power berries are pretty sporty types!
Wonder berries with a long tradition
Over 300 years of experience: The cranberry has enjoyed a long tradition as a wonder berry. Its natural healing power was already appreciated by the native inhabitants of America, who above all used the berry juice as a wonder remedy. Cranberry juice was also used to treat dangerous arrow wounds. The dark red cranberry colour was trendy in even those distant times: The natural colourant was used to dye garments, the skin and hair.
