Purslane Extract

Portulaca oleracea (purslane, ma-chi-xian in TCM) is a low-growing succulent native to the Mediterranean and central Asia, used in food and folk medicine for thousands of years. The reason it ended up in serious dermocosmetics: it has the highest concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) of any leafy green, plus more vitamin E than spinach, plus a stack of antioxidants (kaempferol, apigenin, quercetin) that quiet inflammatory pathways. La Roche-Posay built the Cicaplast line around it; Avène and several K-beauty barrier-repair brands follow suit. The clinical data on the standardised extract is strong — measurable reductions in TEWL and erythema after two weeks of consistent use. Purslane is one of those ingredients you've been using for years without knowing it; once you know what to look for, you'll spot it on the second page of an INCI in basically every calming serum on the market.