SUSTAINABLY-SOURCED IMMORTELLE, TRACEABLE FROM OUR SEEDS TO YOUR SKIN

CULTIVATED ORGANICALLY IN BOUNTIFUL NATIVE LAND: CORSICA

One of our most powerful ingredients, always responsibly sourced

Immortelle essential oil, created by distilling the immortelle flower, is the vital ingredient in L’Occitane’s anti-aging skincare ranges. These products have been very successful since their launch and the need for the immortelle essential oil has continued to grow ever since. Immortelle is native to the island of Corsica, and the family farmers who work with us still cultivate the flower in this rich and diverse landscape.

How we source the immortelle flower is 100% organic, sustainable and traceable. Here's an in-depth look at how we do it.

SOURCED FROM FIELDS OF GOLD

Helichrysum italicum ssp. italicum – or ‘golden sun’ – is the sub-species of immortelle that flourishes in the Corsican wild. Corsica’s floral landscape is rich and diverse, and this extends to the vast, yellow fields of immortelle where our local producers work. The plant thrives in the abundant sunshine, arid earth and mountainous and coastal altitudes found on this Mediterranean island.

L’Occitane launched the first large-scale organic immortelle plantation programme in Corsica in 2004, bringing together ten local growers and distillers to sustainably cultivate plants for our popular skincare range. You’ll find them harvesting the immortelle crop at dawn before it goes on to be distilled later that day.

Sustainable solutions

At L’Occitane, we are committed to preserving biodiversity and supporting the people who work with us. Using wild immortelle flowers for our skincare products would soon deplete this valuable natural resource, so in 2004 we began our organic immortelle plantation programme with 50 hectares of Corsican land. We supported local growers to plant this land with the seeds harvested from wild immortelle flowers in line with guidelines designed to protect the plants’ habitat. We then provided ongoing support for their plantations.

Eco-friendly agriculture gives us a sustainable supply of immortelle essential oil that preserves the genetic heritage of the plant, while also supporting local producers and distillers – benefiting the whole community.

We use 100% organic, sustainable immortelle flowers that are free from any chemical interference.

FROM OUR SEEDS TO YOUR SKIN – THE PROCESS OF THE LIMITED EDITION GRAND CRU CREAM

STEP 1 - SOWING

Our regional networks provide producers with autonomy and value, whilst also allowing us to oversee supply chain traceability of our skincare range from seed to product. The immortelle seeds grow between November and March in a completely organic nursery. Our producers' plant only wild immortelle seeds from across Corsica. This preserves the flower’s innate properties and ensures quality and sustainability by promoting crop diversity.

STEP 2 - PLANTING

Growers plant young immortelle plants in the spring before harvesting and distilling them in the summer. The Immortelle Grand Cru is produced in a specific parcel, with trees growing above the immortelle, recreating a diverse ecosystem. Sheep graze between the rows of flowers to help reduce pressure from weeds without the need for chemicals or mechanised equipment. Irrigation also isn't necessary, meaning the process doesn't harm the island's water supplies.

STEP 3 - DISTILLING FOR OUR GRAND CRU CREAM

The sun-soaked flowers are harvested on the longest day of the year – the summer solstice – and are distilled within two hours by Stephan Francisci. Did you know ? A total of 114 million fresh flowers (that’s 500kg) are used to create 1kg of essential oil.

IMMORTELLE GRAND CRU CREAM

One producer, One parcel, One limited edition cream

The Grand cru essential oil comes from one specific parcel. On the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, our producer Stephan harvests and distills the Immortelle flowers.

Stefan has been working with us for 15 years and was the first producer to grow Immortelle in Corsica, with the help of l'Occitane.

Divine Grand Cru is a limited edition cream with 800 sun soaked flowers locked in it.

1 unique essential oil
1 producer and distiller
1 parcel preserved for a year
1 harvest and distillation day

Free shipping

IMMORTELLE DIVINE CREAM LIMITED EDITION

65 ml

109,00 €

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BEHIND OUR GRAND CRU CREAM

STEPHAN FRANCISCI

"The thing that makes this essential oil so precious and unique is our Corsican "terroir". When a plant is suited to the land it grows on, it gives its very best." Stephan Francisci, immortelle producer for 15 years

Immortelle ingredient

BUILDING STRONG RELANTIONSHIPS

We know the story behind every gram of our immortelle essential oil, down to which producer has distilled it. For example, the premium crop used in our Limited Edition Grand Cru cream is harvested and distilled by one producer: the brilliant Stephan Francisci.

But we also support all our producers and growers so they can build a future based on sustainability. We sign multi-year, non-exclusive contracts so local workers can rely on a consistent income while remaining free to work with other partners. It’s important to L’Occitane that we build close relationships with passionate family farmers who can pass down their skills and knowledge to the next generation.

EVERLASTING INGREDIENTS

Our sustainable farming means we can keep harvesting the miracle immortelle flower and its anti-aging properties without affecting the volume or biodiversity of the wild crop. Thanks to these eco-friendly methods and the sustainability guidelines we stringently follow, you can be assured that L’Occitane’s renowned Immortelle skincare collection is here to stay.

Get to know our Corsican Immortelle producers

Man in a land cutting down immortelle flowers

Stephan Francisci

"I was the first to grow immortelle in Corsica - although it is a universe I did not know. These are trades that are primarily passion before being remunerative. And then one day, without realizing it, you get to live it! There are people who never realize their dream and I am proud to have achieved mine"

Woman with curly hair in a land of yellow mmortelle flowers

Pascale Chérubin

"Life is made of opportunities and it is them who guide us! Thanks to these circumstances, today I cultivate 7 hectares of immortelle flowers. This size of farm suits the balance my family life. Even if I do not work on my crops every day, my family and I live in the heart of our fields. The immortal flower pulses our life and live with it every day."

Catherine Sanci

"I had to get know the plant and had to start from the beginning. They were very difficult years, and I learned everything on the field. My father always told me: if you do it, do it at your best. The immortelle has do it at your best. The immortelle has opened the doors of distillation and it is thanks to this flower that I am passionate about my job."

FAQ

I heard there is a "Biodiversity and Sustainable Ingredients department" at L'Occitane, can you tell me more about it?

Our Biodiversity and Sustainable Ingredients department is in charge of key ingredients. The team is made up of agronomists who secure long-term, high-quality supply chains to provide plant ingredients for the L’OCCITANE Group, in line with four principles: local, sustainability, traceability and equity. The members of the team work directly with producers, forging long-lasting partnerships built on trust.
Their role involves:

suggesting innovative and responsible ingredients
ensuring that we protect biodiversity: we extract the very best active ingredients while protecting the natural heritage of our regions, we carry out biodiversity diagnosis.
supporting family farms and helping them develop and protect our local regions
guaranteeing the QUALITY, TRACEABILITY, SAFETY and SUSTAINABILITY of STRATEGIC INGREDIENTS.
We work directly with producers to provide more added value for the producer and have control over traceability. We focus on the continuous improvement of the supply chain that provides natural extracts and plants. We work to establish a long-term commitment, based on trust and respect.

Can you tell us why it is so unique to have a team of agricultural engineers dedicated to L'Occitane?
What makes your Biodiversity and Sustainable Ingredients team unique?
Our Biodiversity and Sustainable Ingredients team is unique as we have five agricultural engineers in our R&D department who work together with the different R&D departments and the purchasing, procurement, quality and CSR departments. They help our R&D department to innovate responsibly and secure the provision of our raw materials, thanks to the good relationship that we maintain with our producers.

There are several things that make us different from competing brands :

We work directly with stakeholders and regional players: over 200 missions in the field per year. Our close partnership with producers is quite unique. We know all the plots of land used to make our products. This enables us to have complete control over the traceability of our key ingredients.
We are strongly anchored in the region.
All our key ingredients can be traced back to the source
We are dedicated to sustainably developing our supply chains.
We monitor our impact on biodiversity and work to protect it.
We actively contribute to new innovations.